FCTA unveils approved essential drugs from WHO
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through its Health and Human Services Secretariat has unveiled its Essential Medicines List for use in all the FCTA hospitals.
Speaking during the occasion recently, the Acting Secretary FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Mrs. Alice Odey –Achu, said FCTA Essential Medicines List has been put together against the backdrop of the overall health sector reform and the fact that availability of good quality and affordable medicines could make health care delivery in FCT comprehensive.
Mrs. Achu said the list covered major needs of patients, health care practitioners and the basic items that procurement was based on while avoiding irrational prescription, procurement of unnecessary items, and minimising wastage.
The acting Secretary further added that the World Health Assembly in 1975 established the idea of defining essential medicines list in order to increase the range and availability of medicines for population with poor access.
She said that over the years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) encouraged every nation and health communities to have their Essential Medicines List on the basis of disease prevalence and priority consideration, hence the need for the FCTA to have its own Essential Medicines List.
Speaking earlier, the Director, Pharmaceutical Services, Hospital Management Board, Pharmacist Munnir Elelu, said the FCT Essential Medicines List was painstakingly put together with the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders, end users and representatives from all the Health and Human Services Secretariat, agencies and departments.
He advised that measures be put in place such that the FCT Essential Medicines List would start and continue to be the guide in the procurement, prescription and dispensing of pharmaceutical and consumables in all FCTA health facilities.
Elelu added that for the FCT healthcare system to function properly, it needed a time to time review of its Essential Medicines List for the benefit of patients and the system in general.
