In order to ensure organised drug distribution system in the country, the federal government will on July 1 commence the implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDGs).

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Linus Awute stated this at a press conference on Friday in Abuja adding that regulatory agencies like the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and NAFDAC will on that date resume the exercise of their mandate to ensure full compliance.

He said “We are hopeful that the existence of open drug markets in the country will be a thing of the past as the drug distribution system of the country has remained uncoordinated, chaotic and has resulted in the circulation of fake, adulterated, substandard and counterfeit drugs.

According to Awute, this chaotic drug distribution posed a very big challenge to the pharmaceutical sector in particular and the federal government in general, considering the negative impact the situation had on the entire healthcare delivery system of the country.

LEADERSHIP recalls that in order to address the ugly situation, the federal government established the Presidential Committee on Pharmaceutical Sector Reform and charged it among others to develop a strategy towards the institutionalisation of a well ordered drug distribution system.

The strategies adopted by the committee to achieve this include the development of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines in 2010 to provide guidance for drug distribution.

Mr Awute said “The launch of the document in 2012 signalled the take-off of its implementation while the deadline was for the establishment of State Drug Distribution Centres (SDDCs) by the state governments and Mega Drug Distribution Centres (MDDSs) by the private sector was declared on 30th June, 2014.

“The deadline was, however, extended to 30th June, 2015 to allow more time for the establishment of more SDDCs and MDDCs.”

He explained that as the new deadline date has drown near, it was imperative to remind stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector and Nigerians so they would commence the full implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines.

He said that state governments were allowed to upgrade their medical stores to the level of SDDCs, adding that states like Jigawa, Niger, and Ekiti had already commenced the implementation of the guidelines while Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Anambra SDDCs were ready for take-off.

He added that other developed MDDs structures included the Arsene Laboratory, World Wide Ventures and the Onitsha Mega Drug Distribution Centre waiting commissioning, even as the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria was supporting the establishment of ultra-logistics company with ongoing structures of the MDDCs in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Eshinwaju:
one thing I know as guarantee.....is this...those fake drug dealers r 90% from d SE... ....


Yorubas demand Biafra today....may dat day come like yesterday....

arabbunkum:
This will negatively affect Nigerians.

Eshinwaju:
one thing I know as guarantee.....is this...those fake drug dealers r 90% from d SE... ....


Yorubas demand Biafra today....may dat day come like yesterday....

lincolnj88:
buhari should know that not all Nigerians can afford the modern pharmacy and their drugs is out of poor people range.... he should just regulate the open market against fake drugs

PentiumPro:
That open drug market at Onitsha head bridge need total demolition. 80% of fake drugs in Nigeria originates from that market.

AnambraDota:
And Fayose is sending Ekiti Youths down there to be useful themselves

PentiumPro:

Show me the pictures of those sent to learn drugs business or blow your head off with a dynamite.

AnambraDota:


By Oghene Omonisa
Craftsmen at Aba, Abia State as well as traders at Onitsha, Anambra State should get prepared to receive new apprentices from Ekiti State.
This is being promoted as a bid by the Ekiti State government to ensure that Ekiti youths are trained to be self-reliant and look beyond government patronage, and to also prove that, aside education, developing unskilled Ekiti youths does not warrant only sending them overseas for training.
From Left; Hon Fajemilehin Ayodele, Gboyin, Hon Adeniran Alagbada, Ise/Orun, Hon Dr STB Omotoso, Oye 1, Hon Akinleye Ekundayo, Ijero, Hon Akinyele Olatunji, Oye 2, Hon Olusegun Adewumi, Ekiti West, Hon Pastor Kola Olwawole, Moba 1, Leader of Delegate, Hon Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, Ikole1, Hon Sina Animasaun, Ekiti West 2, Hon Princess Tiltilayo Owolabi, Ikole2, All are Honurable Member Elect from Ekiti , during the Courtesy visit to Vanguard Newspaper, by Honurable Member Elect from Ekiti State, on wednesday, PHOTOS; Kehinde Gbadamosi
From Left; Hon Fajemilehin Ayodele, Gboyin, Hon Adeniran Alagbada, Ise/Orun, Hon Dr STB Omotoso, Oye 1, Hon Akinleye Ekundayo, Ijero, Hon Akinyele Olatunji, Oye 2, Hon Olusegun Adewumi, Ekiti West, Hon Pastor Kola Olwawole, Moba 1, Leader of Delegate, Hon Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, Ikole1, Hon Sina Animasaun, Ekiti West 2, Hon Princess Tiltilayo Owolabi, Ikole2, All are Honurable Member Elect from Ekiti , during the Courtesy visit to Vanguard Newspaper, by Honurable Member Elect from Ekiti State, on wednesday, PHOTOS; Kehinde Gbadamosi
The idea was floated by Hon. (Dr.) STB Omotoso, Ekiti State House of Assembly Member-elect (Oye 1 Constituency, PDP) during a courtesy visit by Ekiti State Assembly Members-elect to the corporate head office of Vanguard Media Ltd, Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos, on Wednesday last week.
Hon. Omotosho, while condemning critics of Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State for their criticisms of what has come to be termed “stomach infrastructure”, said such criticisms give the concept a narrow definition as it goes beyond giving gifts of bags of rice and other foodstuff to voters to influence their choice.
“Stomach infrastructure is narrowly defined by critics of Governor Fayose”, Hon. Omotosho said. “It is not all about just feeding people or giving gifts to people. If one should expatiate on the concept, it entails providing the people not only with the basic necessities of life after election, but also empowering them by making them self-reliant, with the best education and training and then giving them employment, which the Fayose government is presently engaged in.”
Speaking further, the lawmaker-elect said the Ekiti State government did not need to waste scarce resources sending Ekiti unskilled youths to Europe or America for training. “Instead, they could be sent to Aba to learn how to make shoes and bags, and to Onitsha to master trade; while those who are qualified and competent will be given local contracts. This is the concept behind the so-called ‘stomach infrastructure’ and not just distributing gift items. Stomach infrastructure goes on after election. It is about helping the poor. It is about engaging them in what can feed them earn a living. That’s what Fayose wants to continue doing. He needs stability to achieve for no progress can be made during crisis. We have had enough crisis and we want peaqce in our state.”
Aba, well known for its handicrafts, is reputed for its handmade shoes and handbags. It is also a major manufacturing and trading centre in South-Eastern Nigeria, with its Ariaria International Market as the largest market in West Africa, seconded by the Onitsha Main Market.
And Onitsha is known for its trading, where the average traders are known to bring in at least six consignments of 40 tonnes (40-feet containers) of goods annually. Some of the major importers do more than 20 consignments of 40 tonnes of goods per year.
Interestingly, the multi-billion dollar economies of both commercial towns are dominated by craftsmen and merchants many of whom do not have university education, but rely on apprenticeship to cut their teeth in the trades before going on their own.
It will be recalled that “stomach infrastructure” crept into Nigeria’s political lexicon following the 2014 Ekiti State governorship election when voters were given gifts of bags of rice and other foodstuff by office contenders to influence their choice. Both Fayose and Fayemi, the then governor gave out gifts. But Fayose’s became so prominent that it was believed to have led to his victory.
Fayose sending Ekiti youths to Aba and Onitsha in furtherance of his stomach infrastructure will be a move which is believed will enjoy the backing of the incoming Ekiti State House of Assembly, as all 26 members-elect were elected on PDP ticket, like the governor.
The youths, according to the said plan, are expected to return to Ekiti State after completing their apprenticeship, to re-enact the Aba and Onitsha phenomenon in their home state.
Speaking in similar vein, Hon. Fajemilehin (Gboyin West Constituency, PDP) and Hon. (Princess) Titilayo Owolabi (Ikole 2. Constituency, PDP) argued that giving gift items to voters has historically been a part of Nigeria’s electioneering process and was not begun by Fayose nor was it peculiar to him.
Hon. Fajemilehin noted that during campaign in recent governorship elections in the South-West, the All Progressives Congress (APC) distributed to voters, free bags of rice and bread carrying the names and photographs of its candidates, citing cases of Rauf Aregbesola in Osun State, Abiola Ajimobi, Oyo State, and Akinwumi Ambode, Lagos State; but alleged that nobody noticed all these and that they were never condemned like they still do to Fayose.
Hon. Fajemilehin also noted that stomach infrastructure has seen Fayose awarding contracts to local contractors for them to make profits and cater for their family, unlike before, when furniture and some items were brought from overseas.
The Honourable Member-elect also attributed to stomach infrastructure the governor’s paying of WAEC fees and several other fees on behalf of students, as well as buying tractors and setting up markets.
Also speaking, Hon. (Chief) Gboyega Aribisogan (Ikole 1. Constituency, PDP) revealed that most public perceptions of Gov. Fayose were a media creation orchestrated by his political opponents, which necessitated their visit, as the people of Ekiti State, who elected them would not expect them to stand by and watch their state destroyed by “external forces with their selfish interests.”
Every speaker spoke positively of Gov. Fayose, promising that the incoming House would support and work with him.
They described him as a phenomenon, a man passionate about the people and a man of peace, and that that was why he was overwhelmingly elected by the people of the state.
Oremekunu (friend of the poor) was frequently used to describe Gov. Fayose.
All the lawmakers emphasized on peace, saying that the state needed peace to develop and that Fayose had repeatedly tried to make peace with all in the state.
They assured that while the incoming legislature and the executive arm would enjoy a robust relationship, they would not be “proteges of Gov. Fayose.”
The visiting team was led by Hon. (Pastor) Kola Oluwaloye (Moba 1.). Other members included Mr. Tola Esan, Clerk of the present House, Hon. (Chief) Gboyega Aribisogan (Ikole 1), Hon. Sina Animaseun (Ekiti West 2.), Hon. (Princess) Owolabi Titilayo (Ikole 2.), Mr. Tolu Afolabi (Director of Information), Hon. Fajemilehin Ayodele (Gboyin), Hon. Adeniran Alagbada (Ise/Orun) and Hon. (Dr.) S.T.B. Omotoso (Oye 1.). Others were Hon. Akinleye Ekundayo (Ijero), Hon. Akinyele Olatunji (Oye 2.), Hon. Pelemo Dare (Ekiti East 2.), Hon. Henry Aladeyelu Olusanya (Ifelodun/Irepodun) and Hon. Olusegun Adewumi.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/new-lawmakers-define-ekiti-stomach-infrastructure/#sthash.pvK8GL0x.dpuf

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/new-lawmakers-define-ekiti-stomach-infrastructure/

PentiumPro:

Trash.