Ondo unveils healthcare reforms, targets medicine self-sufficiency
The Ondo State Government has unveiled fresh healthcare reforms aimed at strengthening medicines security, boosting local pharmaceutical production, improving diagnostic services and increasing private-sector participation in the health sector.
The Senior Consultant on Pharmaceutical and Medical Investments to the state government, Dr Samuel Adekola, disclosed this during a familiarisation visit to the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Ondo.
Adekola said Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa had approved the establishment of the Ondo State Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Hub to strengthen the medicines supply chain, promote local pharmaceutical manufacturing and stimulate biotechnology research.
He said the governor had also approved the procurement of critical diagnostic equipment for healthcare facilities across the state, adding that the investment would improve early disease detection, clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.
Adekola described UNIMEDTH as a key institution in implementing the reforms and called for stronger collaboration between the hospital and the Ondo State Drugs and Health Commodities Management Agency (OSDHCMA) to improve medicines management.
“For us to eliminate stockouts, prevent circulation of substandard medicines and maintain a transparent supply chain, UNIMEDTH must be fully aligned with the Agency’s systems and processes,” he said.
He disclosed that OSDHCMA would soon transition into a State Drugs and Health Commodities Distribution Centre, supplying public and private health institutions within and outside the state. He added that operational guidelines for the new framework were being developed.
Adekola also announced an evidence-based nutrition model for in-patient care, with meals tailored to patients’ medical conditions and recovery needs. He urged UNIMEDTH to identify areas for Public-Private Partnerships, including diagnostics, imaging, specialised clinics, digital health and biomedical engineering. The Chief Medical Director, Prof Michael Gbala, commended the reforms and called for stronger supplies of critical medicines, including anti-venom.
