The Plateau State Government has constituted a committee to explore the use of locally available medicinal plants for pharmaceutical production.
The initiative is aimed at promoting local drug manufacturing, strengthening the pharmaceutical sector and improving access to affordable medicines across the state.
The Director-General of the Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency, Pharm. Kim Jerry Bot, disclosed this in Jos.
He said the committee had been inaugurated by Governor Caleb Mutfwang and is chaired by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, while he serves as secretary.
Members include representatives of the Ministries of Budget and Economic Planning, Justice, Finance and Women Affairs, as well as civil society organisations, religious bodies, traditional leaders and the traditional council.
Bot said the involvement of traditional institutions was important because of their role as custodians of indigenous knowledge and natural resources.
“The present administration is committed to exploring the enormous potential of medicinal plants that are locally available in Plateau State for pharmaceutical production,” he said.
“The objective is to promote local drug manufacturing, strengthen the pharmaceutical sector and ultimately improve our capacity to produce safe, effective and affordable medicines locally.”
He also explained the mandate of the Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency, saying the agency was responsible for warehousing, managing and distributing medicines and other health commodities to healthcare facilities.
Bot said the agency was established under a law assented to by the immediate past governor, Simon Bako Lalong, on October 27, 2022.
He said the present administration had continued to support the agency in carrying out its responsibilities.
According to him, improvements in the pharmaceutical supply chain were also helping to reduce the circulation of substandard and falsified medicines.
However, he identified insecurity, inadequate warehouse capacity, accessibility challenges and delivery delays as factors affecting the distribution of medicines in some parts of the state.
Bot said plans were underway to decentralise warehouse facilities to improve access and reduce delivery times, particularly in remote communities.
He reaffirmed the agency’s goal of ensuring universal access to essential medicines across Plateau State.
“Our ultimate goal is to ensure that every resident of Plateau State has access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines whenever and wherever they are needed,” he said.
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