Ogun strengthens healthcare delivery with Pharma-Grade Warehouse

By Adejoke Adeleye

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun on Thursday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and ensuring equitable access to quality health services for all residents, saying strategic partnerships remain critical to achieving sustainable health outcomes.

Abiodun stated this during the official commissioning of the Pharma-Grade Central Warehouse of the Ogun State Drug and Health Commodities Management Agency at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, describing the facility as a major milestone in the state’s efforts to strengthen healthcare systems and improve the management of essential health commodities.

The Governor, who expressed appreciation to the Global Fund for its continued support to Nigeria since 2003, noted that the organisation’s investments in HIV, tuberculosis, malaria control and health system strengthening had significantly improved access to life-saving interventions across the country.

He said the newly commissioned warehouse represented one of the tangible outcomes of the partnership between Ogun State and the Global Fund, adding that the facility would improve the storage, management and distribution of medicines, test kits and other critical health products across the 20 local government areas of the state.

“This facility is not merely a building. It is a strategic investment that will strengthen supply chain efficiency and ensure that essential health commodities reach healthcare facilities and patients in a timely manner,” he said.

Governor Abiodun, noted that while healthcare workers often receive public recognition for their efforts, institutions responsible for ensuring the availability of medicines and health commodities also deserve commendation for their indispensable role in healthcare delivery.

He described the achievement as a testament to the effectiveness of public-private partnerships, stressing that sustainable progress in the health sector required shared responsibility, collective accountability and coordinated action.

While urging residents to embrace preventive healthcare practices, participate in screening programmes and enrol in the Ogun State Health Insurance Scheme, Abiodun stressed that government alone could not achieve the desired health outcomes without the active participation of citizens.

He further highlighted Ogun State’s position as Nigeria’s pharmaceutical hub, attributing the achievement to the state’s conducive business environment and commitment to ease of doing business.

Earlier in her welcome address, Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, said the commissioning of the facility reflected the state’s commitment to strengthening healthcare systems, improving supply chain management, ensuring access to quality medicines and health commodities and ultimately improving health outcomes for residents.

She noted that under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun, Ogun State has continued to make significant investments in healthcare infrastructure, workforce development and health systems strengthening, adding that the warehouse, built to internationally recognised pharmaceutical storage standards, would significantly enhance the storage, inventory management and distribution of essential medicines and health commodities across the State.

In his goodwill message, Executive Director, Global Fund, Peter Sands, said the warehouse was part of the Global Fund’s broader investments in Nigeria’s health sector, noting that about 21 similar pharma-grade warehouses had been built across the country, while commending Ogun State for contributing to the funding of the project and stressing the importance of effective governance and leadership in sustaining its impact.

Also speaking, Chief, UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere said the facility would ensure that medicines and health commodities were available when needed and in good condition, thereby benefiting more than 7.5 million Ogun residents, including 3.3 million children, while reducing stock-outs in health facilities.