The Edo State Government is revving up interventions to ensure the viability and sustainability of its novel Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Scheme across Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state by deploying quality manpower and technology to the PHCs.

The Edo State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in Benin City, said the DRF scheme is a veritable tool in achieving quality healthcare and will guarantee access to affordable medicines and related commodities at the PHC centres.

The Commissioner for Health recently inaugurated the Drug Revolving Fund Committee for primary healthcare to improve the supply of medicines in PHCs, in line with Governor Godwin Obaseki’s ongoing interventions to strengthen the health system and enhance access to quality, affordable healthcare for all residents.

The mandate of the DRF Committee, according to Prof. Akoria, is to ensure the sustainable supply of medicines and related commodities that meet the basic healthcare needs of all residents in PHCs, served through efficient, transparent, accountable and equitable systems.

On the operationalization of the scheme in PHCs, Dr. Osayomore Idemudia, Director of Community and Family Health at the Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), who spoke on behalf of the Executive Secretary of EDSPHCDA and Chairman of the Edo DRF Committee, Dr. Otaniyenuwa Obarisiagbon, noted that four health facilities were chosen as pilot primary healthcare facilities for the scheme, adding that the system will shortly be replicated in other PHCs across Edo State.

Idemudia said that additional manpower had been deployed to these PHCs, with end-to-end electronic medical records and POS machines to facilitate transactions.

The pilot health facilities are Aruogba, Oredo, Ugbekun and Idogbo PHC centres.

According to the Honourable Commissioner for Health, "these developments are novel in the history of primary healthcare in Nigeria, and underscore the Governor's unflinching commitment to the Edo Health Improvement Programme.”