By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the collapse of the drug revolving funds scheme.
This resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion on, “Collapse Revolving Funds and Indebtedness of Federal Health Institutions to the Pharmaceutical Firms in Nigeria” by Rep. Adedayo Samuel Adesola, Rep. Amos Magaji Gwamna and Rep. Regina Akume on Wednesday at plenary.
The House noted that the drug revolving funds scheme, created as a result of the Essential Drug Act, was to address challenges of the perennial out of stock syndrome of drugs in public health institutions.
It also noted that the scheme was initially successful, but has been mutilated by hospital management, resulting in pharmaceutical firms owing N18 billion in 2021 and N30 billion in 2023.
The motion reads: “Aware of the existence of the Drugs Revolving Funds (DRF), a National Contingency Plan designed to tackle the menace of out-of-stock syndrome in public pharmacy department and ensure that federal health institutions are adequately stocked with essential drugs for medically challenged Nigerians.
“Cognizant that a well-run Drugs Revolving Funds (DRF) tackled the menace of the out-of-stock syndromes in public pharmacy department”.
The lawmakers firtehr noted that the DRF scheme of the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi (NOHI) which was flagship over a decade ago gave birth to a pharmacy house worth over N300 million in 2014 because the management of the hospital at the time gave the much-needed cooperation.
“The House is worried that this laudable initiative has been abused over a period of time through the accumulation of unpaid supplies from pharmaceutical firm under this funding arrangement, culminating in its eventual collapse.
“Concerned that the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) had called on the past administration to probe the activities of the National Hospital, Igbobi affair in order to resuscitate the scheme.
“Unless the collapse of the drug revolving fund is addressed, as a matter of urgency, further supplies of these essential drugs to Federal Health Institutions will remain a pipedream, thereby increasing pressure on the already struggling healthcare system”, it added.
The House adopted the motion and mandated its Committee on Health Institutions to investigate the collapse of the drug revolving funds scheme and report back within four weeks for further legislative actions.