The Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA) and the Borno State Drugs and Consumables Management Agency (BODMA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure steady access to quality and genuine drugs in public health facilities across the state.
The agreement, signed on Thursday, is aimed at addressing persistent drug shortages in government hospitals and strengthening healthcare delivery, particularly as the Formal Sector Contributory Healthcare Scheme takes off in Borno State.
Ahead of the MoU signing, a high-level delegation led by the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Baba Mallam Gana, embarked on an assessment tour of selected health facilities to evaluate newly renovated structures supported by BOSCHMA and ascertain readiness for seamless service delivery.
The inspection exercise, coordinated by the Executive Secretary of BOSCHMA, Dr. Abba Saleh, was witnessed by journalists and media practitioners in the state. Facilities visited included the General Mamman Shuwa Hospital, State Specialist Hospital, Maryam Abatcha Hospital, Umaru Shehu Hospital, the Nursing Home, and the State Pharmaceutical Store.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Saleh said BOSCHMA had commenced the enrolment of Borno State workers to enable them access affordable and quality healthcare under the contributory scheme. He described the partnership with BODMA as crucial to the success of the programme.
He disclosed that the agency had deployed an electronic health records system across health facilities to improve record-keeping, accountability and monitoring. According to him, hospitals have been equipped with computers, software and CCTV cameras, all linked for remote monitoring.
“These systems will allow real-time tracking of drug supply and usage, making it easier to detect shortages or diversion,” Dr. Saleh said.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of BODMA, Pharmacist Umar Abdulkarim, said extensive consultations between the two agencies led to the harmonisation of an approved list of drugs and consumables. He added that distribution of the items to health facilities had already commenced in line with the MoU.
Addressing journalists, Prof. Gana said the state had recorded notable progress in the health sector, revealing that about 50 general hospitals were being integrated into the contributory healthcare scheme. He also disclosed that specialist eye and dental hospitals had been constructed in Biu and Monguno, while the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri had undergone major upgrades.
According to the commissioner, no fewer than 20 pharmaceutical companies have signed MoUs with the state for drug procurement, while 15 foreign doctors have been deployed to strengthen manpower in public health facilities.
Also speaking, the BOSCHMA Board Chairperson, Hajiya Mairo Bunu, said the agency was committed to delivering on the health sector mandate of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum. She noted that discussions were ongoing with relevant stakeholders to improve healthcare manpower and ambulance services across the state.
Other stakeholders present at the event included the Permanent Secretary (Establishment), Dr. Sadiq Abubakar Mohammed, and the Borno State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Yusuf Inuwa. They expressed confidence that the contributory healthcare scheme would significantly improve access to quality healthcare for civil servants and their dependants in Borno State.
