Commissioning of Abuja Premier Medical Warehouse by the Hon. Minister of Health
The Nigerian Ministry of Health and the United State Agency for International Development, USAID on Monday 14th August 2017 inaugurated a medical facility that will provide health care practitioners/facilities better access to lifesaving medicines and other essential health commodities.
The Honourable Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole who commissioned the facility praised the efforts of the USAID in supporting Nigeria to get the ultra-modern structure developed and ready for use. USAID in a press statement said the Abuja Premier Medical Warehouse facility, also known as “Warehouse in a box”, was constructed in partnership with Nigeria’s Ministry of Health and Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The new state of the art medical storage facility costs approximately $5.1 million.
Stephen Haykin, Mission Director of USAID, at the launch said the 3,500-square meter kitted structure was shipped to Nigeria for onsite assembly and features smooth dust-free floor surfaces, temperature regulating systems, security systems, thermal insulated ceiling and warehouse handling equipment. Also members of the National Warehousing Advisory Committee (NWAC) were inaugurated with the Minister of Health as Chairperson. The NWAC will oversee the operations/legislation of national/zonal warehouses in the country.
Mr. Haykin said the facility will provide storage space for public health commodities at the central level, enabling the ministry to ensure the provision of quality life-saving health commodities for Nigerians through a central facility. The U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, through USAID, and the Global Fund, with the Nigerian Ministry of Health approval, provided support (started in 2014) for the construction of the warehouses in Abuja and also in Lagos. Also speaking at the event was the Director, Food & Drugs Services of the Federal Ministry of Health; Pharm. G.M.O Chukwumah. She encouraged all stakeholders that were part of development of the edifice to remain steadfast as such will be replicated in other zones of the country. She particularly praised the efforts of past Directors of the department, NACA, NMEP, USAID, UNFPA and the Nigeria Supply Chain Integration Project (NSCIP) for digging deep to make the facility a reality.
