The drugs and medical services director encouraged newsmen to continue the collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Procurement Unit, as it operates on an open door policy, therefore journalists are free to make suggestions as well as raise genuine concerns regarding issues of malpractices or otherwise.
Giving an update on the first quarter of 2016 free health care distribution, Managing Director, NPPU, Jack Michael Lansana disclosed that finalisation of the first 2016 distribution in collaboration with DFID,UNICEF and CAIPA is almost complete, as partners mentioned above have brought in stock to complement Government’s products.
For this first quarter, Mr Lansana informed the media that stocks will constitute 250 items worth $3.5 million dollars while DFID contracted UNICEF to manage an expedited procurement for 109 items worth $2.6 million.
Also, DFID approved 25 additional products from CAIPA’s ebola products to be repurposed for the use of free health care, including HIV/AIDS products.
Mr Lansana added that similar to the collaboration between the NPPU and UNICEF during the fourth quarter 2015 distribution, NPPU has been working hand-in-hand with DFID and CAIPA to plan and manage the current joint distribution process.
For effectiveness and efficiency, he said the teams have engaged closely with staff from the DHMTs, including holding consultations to make the process much easier to handle.
Jack Lansana furthered that the established reverse logistics process from the districts to central level will continue during this distribution and the district teams have been informed to organise and document their stock for reference purpose.
He maintained that the NPPU and CAIPA will also follow up with monitoring that is to be closely coordinated with staff from the DHMTs and UNICEF to also operationalize the rapid pro system for mobile-based monitoring around the country.
Concluding, the NPPU Managing Director said as part of the distribution exercise, they have been working with the Reproductive Health and Family Planning Programme, the National Aids Secretariat, the National Infection Prevention Control Unit and the National Malaria Control Programme to coordinate distribution of their respective commodities.