Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Ishola Michael
Published on 2024-02-19 20:35:37
The Gombe Central Medical Store suffered a devastating loss in the early hours of a fierce inferno that destroyed millions of doses of critical vaccines and medical consumables worth over N5 billion. This facility plays a crucial role in healthcare, housing over 2 million doses of polio vaccines and various essential medical supplies.
The destruction of the medical store has posed a significant setback for Gombe, as it was scheduled to kick off the March-April 2024 Polio Myelitis campaign, during which the vaccines were to be administered. The State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, promptly inspected the charred remains of the State Mega Medical Cold Store facility, emphasizing the urgent need to address the catastrophic situation.
Inuwa Yahaya appealed to donor agencies and health sector stakeholders to urgently come to the aid of the state, highlighting the facility’s role in supporting healthcare not only in Gombe but across the entire Northeastern subregion. He also directed the Commissioner for Works and Transport to quickly move his technical team to the site and provide immediate recommendations to save the situation.
The Governor stressed the urgency of revitalizing the facility due to its historical role as a key distribution center for medical supplies in the region. Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, revealed that the inferno obliterated vaccines valued at over N5 billion, including 2 million doses recently received from UNICEF and Rotary International for distribution across the state’s local government areas.
The extensive damage also included polio vaccine, routine immunization supplies, cold rooms, ultra-cold chain equipment for the Pfizer Covid vaccine, maternal and child health equipment, nutritional items, family planning commodities, and special equipment for primary healthcare centers and maternity. Additionally, refrigerators, cylinders, air conditioners, and motorcycles were among the numerous items consumed by the fire.
The over 60-year-old cold store had previously been used to house COVID-19 vaccines in 2020 and played a significant role as a holding place for vaccines destined for onward distribution to other Northeastern states. The Governor emphasized the need for prompt intervention by the Federal government, development partners such as WHO, UNICEF, and other critical stakeholders to make a significant impact in strengthening the healthcare system.
Overall, the destruction of the Gombe Central Medical Store is a major blow to the healthcare system in the region, and urgent action is needed to address the loss and ensure the timely distribution of critical vaccines and medical supplies to the communities in need.
Read the original article on Nigerian Tribune
