Nasarawa to float new drug supply scheme

Nasarawa state government is to introduce a new drug supply scheme statewide to shore up supply of drugs in hospitals.

The new scheme, Drug Revolving Fund (DRF), is to replace an existing drug-loan scheme, according Dr. Salisu Mohammed Raj, senior special assistant to the state government.

"If we go to most of our hospitals, we have a problem of drug supply," he admitted to Daily Trust at a workshop with officials of Jigawa Gunduma system, which it is understudying for the DRF.. "We think the drug supply via drug loan scheme is okay, but this one is better and that's why we want to float it."

DRF, set up in 2008 both in Jigawa and Kaduna with support from the UKAID-funded Partnership for Transforming Health Systems, allows health systems to replenish drug supplies from proceeds of drugs sales, marked up by 15% to guarantee its sustainability.

Drugs are centrally procured by a state medicare supply organization and sold to hospitals, which must run financially independent DRF units.
Officials have insisted the state needs public will to fight resistance from private dealers who would consider DRF a threat.

"If DRF is going to succeed, the quality of service has to be better and the price has to be right," cautioned Vimal Kumar, senior logistics advisor at PATHS2, which facilitated the understudy.