The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday, commissioned the Pharma-Grade Warehouse of the Ogun State Drugs and Health Commodities Management Agency.
Abiodun while speaking at the commissioning in Abeokuta, revealed that more than 30,000 residents living with HIV are currently receiving free antiretroviral therapy, counselling, and support services in health facilities across the state.
He urged residents to take advantage of available healthcare services by visiting hospitals for proper diagnosis and treatment, stressing that his administration has recorded significant milestones in the healthcare sector by repositioning the state’s health system for optimal service delivery.
According to the governor, his administration has continued to strengthen HIV prevention programmes, expand testing services, and implement measures aimed at reducing new infections.
His words, “Today, more than 30,000 residents of Ogun State living with HIV are receiving free antiretroviral therapy, counselling, and support services.
“We continue to strengthen prevention programmes, expand testing services, and reduce new infections.
“The facility will strengthen supply chain efficiency, reduce stock-outs, and ensure that medicines and test kits reach healthcare facilities and patients across the 20 local government areas promptly,” he stated.
Abiodun, while admitting that HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria remain significant public health challenges in the state, assured that his administration, alongside development partners, is making steady progress through sustained interventions aimed at reducing their impact.
He commended the Global Fund for expanding access to HIV treatment in Nigeria and supporting tuberculosis diagnosis, malaria prevention, as well as the provision of life-saving medicines and health commodities, noting that the grants have particularly benefited women, children, adolescents, vulnerable groups, and underserved communities.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, said the facility was established to improve the delivery of quality healthcare services across the state.
She commended Governor Abiodun for investing in a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) machine used for testing the quality of drugs supplied to health facilities and disclosed that the state government plans to deploy technology capable of detecting low stock levels in medical facilities across the state.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, described the newly commissioned facility as a critical investment aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery and ensuring the timely availability of medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic commodities.
Sands revealed that, of the 22 warehouses built across the country, Ogun State’s facility is the largest and best-equipped.
Governor Abiodun commissions largest, best equipped pharma warehouse in Ogun