By Abiodun Lawal
Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun says more than 30,000 residents living with HIV, are receiving free antiretroviral therapy, counselling and support services in health facilities across the state.
Abiodun disclosed this on Thursday while inaugurating the Pharma-Grade Warehouse of the Ogun State Drugs and Health Commodities Management Agency in Abeokuta.
The governor noted that his administration had repositioned the state’s healthcare system for improved service delivery and urged residents to seek prompt diagnosis and treatment at health facilities.
The governor explained that the state had strengthened HIV prevention programmes, expanded testing services and intensified efforts to reduce new infections.
He commended the Global Fund for supporting HIV treatment, tuberculosis diagnosis, malaria prevention and the provision of essential medicines and health commodities.
“Today, more than 30,000 residents of Ogun state living with HIV are receiving free antiretroviral therapy, counselling, and support services.
“We continue to strengthen prevention programmes, expand testing services, and reduce new infections,” he said.
Abiodun said the interventions had particularly benefited women, children, adolescents, vulnerable groups and underserved communities across the state.
He described the warehouse as a strategic investment that would improve storage, management and distribution of medicines and health commodities statewide.
According to him, the facility will strengthen supply chain efficiency, reduce stock-outs and ensure timely delivery of medicines and test kits to health facilities.
Abiodun acknowledged that HIV, tuberculosis and malaria remained major public health challenges but said sustained interventions were yielding positive results.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and expanding tuberculosis detection through community outreach, contact tracing, and hotspot mapping.
Abiodun commended the Federal Government for strengthening the health sector, pledging the state’s continued alignment with national healthcare objectives.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, said the state had procured a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) machine for drug quality testing and planned technology to monitor medicine stock levels.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, described the warehouse as a critical investment in healthcare delivery.
Sands said Ogun’s warehouse was the largest and best-equipped among 22 similar facilities constructed nationwide.
He said the project, jointly funded by the Global Fund and the Ogun State Government, reflected a shared commitment to improving healthcare delivery and strengthening the health system.
Earlier, the Chief of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere says the newly inaugurated medical warehouse would strengthen the availability of medicines, vaccines and other health commodities for residents.
According to her, about 7.5 million people in Ogun, including 3.3 million children, stand to benefit from the project through improved access to essential medicines and vaccines.
Lafoucriere reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to working with government and partners to ensure the warehouse fulfilled its intended purpose.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yetunde Fatungase
