The African Development Bank (AfDB) has reaffirmed its commitment to providing drugs to the 1200-bed capacity Sokoto State University Teaching Hospital (SOSUTH), which construction has reached advanced stage.
This will augment similar support promised by the Egyptian government, which Ambassador to Nigeria Gov. Tambuwal met and had fruitful discussions with in Abuja recently prior to his visit to the AfDB.
The bank is also poised to giving logistics support to the state government for the successful take-off of the hospital upon its completion.
These pledges follow a visit to the bank’s headquarters in Abidjan recently by Gov Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and four of his Commissioners, each of who briefed the bank’s management team.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Inname said the AfDB support for the state is predicated on its interest in ensuring inclusiveness in the supply and affordability of drugs in Africa.
“These is in view of the fact that 70% of drugs in use in the continent are imported from China while 99% of the anti-COVID-19 vaccines are also imported, thus the bank’s factoring in on the production of vaccines, overall production/packaging of pharmaceuticals products and maintenance of primary/secondary healthcare facilities across the continent,” Inname said.
The Commissioner emphasized that in realization of its objectives in the healthcare development sector the AfDB has unveiled its program on ‘Healthcare Defense System’ which will facilitate the development of an e-health initiative, in addition to improving water, sanitation and hygiene.
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