By Suleman Ahmad, Kano
In a bid to improve public health outcomes and promote sustainable development, the Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA) recently organized a two-day training session for local government Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Coordinators and Essential Drug Officers. The focus was on enhancing the management and delivery of family planning commodities, ensuring they reach the last mile.
The training, which was held in collaboration with the Gates Foundation-funded Capacity for Sustainable Development (C4SD), aimed to strengthen the professional capacities of the participants by equipping them with essential knowledge and skills. This initiative is designed to ensure that individuals seeking family planning options receive consistent, high-quality services.
Pharm. Aminu Bashir, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, who represented the Commissioner, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, officially declared the workshop open. In his address, he emphasized the importance of integrating family planning commodities into the health service delivery chain. He highlighted that such integration is not only cost-effective and time-saving but also enhances accountability in the delivery of services.
Pharm. Bashir further stated, “The effective management of family planning commodities and their delivery to the last mile is crucial for promoting reproductive health and ensuring access to necessary services. Orientation and training programs like this one play a pivotal role in achieving these objectives by equipping participants with the skills required for efficient management and delivery.”
The Permanent Secretary also noted that through such training efforts, a future where family planning services are accessible to all could be realized, ultimately leading to healthier families and communities.
In his welcome address, Pharm. Gali Sule, emphasized that the program aims to integrate the supply chain management of family health care commodities and essential medicines, ensuring that they reach the last mile of delivery. He further stated that this initiative aligns with a proposed national policy designed to enhance health care service delivery across the country. As part of the program, DMCSA will deliver these essential commodities to health facilities free of charge.
