Ododo Administration Enhances Drug Safety: Kogi Drugs Agency Studies Quality Control at ABUTH Zaria

In a strategic effort to bolster drug safety and quality assurance within the state’s healthcare sector, the Kogi State Drugs and Medical Supplies Management Agency (KSDMSMA) conducted a one-day working visit to the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) in Zaria. The purpose of the visit was to study the hospital’s quality control standards and procedures.

Facilitated by the Kogi State Government, this initiative is part of the Ododo administration’s concerted efforts to ensure that all pharmaceuticals and medical consumables distributed to health facilities across the state adhere to approved safety and quality standards.

During the visit, Pharm. Salamat Onize Ibrahim, the Executive Secretary of KSDMSMA, emphasized the objective of establishing a functional Pharmacy Quality Control Laboratory in Kogi State. She stated that the proposed laboratory would be tasked with testing all pharmaceuticals supplied by manufacturers before their distribution to healthcare facilities within the state.

Pharm. Ibrahim highlighted that this initiative aims to enhance public confidence in the medicines supplied through the agency and align Kogi State with global best practices in pharmaceutical regulation, procurement, and supply chain management.

She also noted that Dr. Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, the Coordinating Commissioner for Health, has consistently reiterated the state government’s commitment to delivering quality services in the health sector. He is actively repositioning all agencies under his supervision to achieve optimal performance by 2026.

During the visit, the Kogi delegation, accompanied by Executive Secretaries of Drugs Management Agencies from Nasarawa and Yobe States, toured ABUTH’s Quality Control Laboratory. The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for drug inspection, analysis, and testing, providing valuable insights into effective quality control practices. The team observed a range of quality assurance processes, including chiral purity testing, preparation of culture media, and microbial limit tests. Officials explained that samples are randomly selected from various batches and subjected to laboratory analysis to verify potency, active ingredients, and compliance with approved standards.

Pharm. Salamat commended the management of ABUTH, particularly the Pharmacy Department, describing the hospital’s quality control systems as bold and innovative. She also praised the establishment of a mini pharmaceutical manufacturing unit within the department, highlighting it as a model for public-sector pharmaceutical development.

She expressed gratitude for the warm reception extended to her team and assured that the outcomes of the visit would be formally communicated to the Honourable Commissioner for Health in Kogi State.

During the engagement, the Executive Secretary paid a courtesy visit to Prof. Muhammad Magaji Garba, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ahmadu Bello University. She expressed appreciation for the training she received as a student and engaged in discussions on pharmaceutical procurement processes and supply chain management.

She further noted that the visit has strategically positioned the agency not only for effective quality control testing but also for the eventual establishment of a small-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing unit for selected extemporaneous preparations. This initiative aims to improve access to essential medicines and generate additional revenue for the Kogi State Government.