By Ibrahim Abdullahi
The Drugs Revolving Funds (DRF) scheme being operated in Kano state government-owned health facilities has been described as the most solid yardstick that keeps hospitals running smoothly.
This assertion was made by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, and also the Chairman State Sustainable Health Commodities Supply System Committee (SHCSSC) while delivering his speech at the maiden Committee meeting, held on Tuesday at the Hospitals Management Board conference hall.
The SHCSSC was established by the Kano State Executive Council as a body to manage and coordinate all health commodities activities for healthcare services in the state
The Commissioner maintained that with all the good health personnel, laboratories, diagnosis systems, equipment among others if there is a deficit in the drugs supply system it would be difficult to satisfy the clients’ needs.
Dr. Tsanyawa further maintained that the availability of drugs in the facilities is outstanding of uppermost importance in ensuring quality care to the teeming clients visiting hospitals on daily basis.
On SHCSSC, the Commissioner stated that the Committee has a variety of functions and roles, among which is to ensure rational drug usage throughout the state by promoting the use of standard treatment guidelines as disaggregated by all levels of care.
Another function, according to him, is to support the scale-up of the DRF scheme at appropriate times in non-DRF facilities across the state.
Dr. Tsanyawa extolled members of the Committee for committing their treasurable times in coming up with the operational manual of the scheme to be used in the state for effective and efficient drugs and commodities supply system for the overall benefits of people of the state.
The Commissioner then applauded the giant strides of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje OFR for giving all the required attention to the healthcare system of the state.
“Khadimul Islam has been very friendly with the health sector. He invests lots of resources to take the system to greater heights through constructing, renovating, and upgrading numerous health facilities across the state.
“Governor Ganduje is currently constructing a world-class cancer center in the state in addition to giving all logistics support to contain the spread of Covid-19”, said Dr. Tsanyawa.
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chairman of the Committee also the Director Pharmaceutical Services of the State Ministry of Health, Pharm. Ghali Sule said the SHCSSC is the apex Committee that is charged with the responsibility of monitoring, utilizing, and supplying drugs and commodities to all public healthcare facilities in the state.
Pharm. Ghali further explained that it is the responsibility of the Committee to be making recommendations to the state government regarding the policy on the DRF scheme for possible adoption.
He acclaimed Dr. Tsanyawa for sparing time despite his tight schedules to chair the meeting, saying that this shows how committed the Commissioner was in seeing that service delivery is ensured in health facilities at all times.
Pharm. Ghali charged members of the Committee to be up and doing in ensuring that the operational guidelines are implemented at all levels of the care system, buttressing that “If there has been no quality drugs and commodities, definitely the service delivery in our facilities is going to be faulty.”
Members of the Committee cut across ministries, organizations, and stakeholders that have roles to play in the healthcare services delivery of the state.
During the meeting, the Commissioner has officially launched the distribution of the SHCSSC Operational Guidelines to all health agencies of the state
