By GARBA MUHAMMAD

The Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency (KADHSMA) and strategic suppliers of medicines and health commodities have agreed to strengthen transparency, accountability and competitiveness in the procurement and distribution of essential health commodities across the state.

The agreement was reached at the maiden KADHSMA Strategic Suppliers’ Interactive Session held from August 28 to 29, 2026, at the Banquet Hall of the General Hassan Usman Katsina House, Kawo, Kaduna.

The two-day session, themed “Strengthening Partnerships for an Efficient, Transparent and Sustainable Health Supply Chain in Kaduna State,” brought together government officials, pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors, regulators, procurement professionals, civil society organisations and development partners.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, participants called on KADHSMA to continue strengthening transparent, fair and competitive procurement processes in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

They also agreed that the relationship between KADHSMA and suppliers should move beyond transactional engagements to strategic partnerships anchored on trust, professionalism, performance and accountability.

The stakeholders resolved that the Strategic Suppliers’ Interactive Session should be institutionalised as an annual platform for engagement, while pre-bid conferences should be conducted where applicable to improve suppliers’ understanding of procurement requirements and minimise procurement-related challenges.

They further called for a stronger supplier performance assessment system covering product quality, regulatory compliance, delivery performance, financial and operational capacity, responsiveness, communication and previous performance.

To improve transparency and visibility across the supply chain, the communiqué urged KADHSMA to explore the development of a digital supplier engagement dashboard containing information on procurement plans, inventory status, supplier performance and payment processes.

Suppliers were also directed to maintain valid statutory, technical and regulatory documents and use the approved KADHSMA Request for Quotation (RFQ) template during procurement processes.

On product quality, the stakeholders urged suppliers to ensure that all commodities supplied meet applicable quality standards and regulatory requirements, including valid NAFDAC registration.

KADHSMA, in turn, is expected to strengthen product quality monitoring through product analysis, Certificates of Analysis, traceability systems and periodic inspection of manufacturing facilities where appropriate. Suppliers are to cooperate fully with quality assurance and product verification activities.

The stakeholders also agreed that suppliers should give advance notice of anticipated price increases, supply challenges or production constraints to enable KADHSMA to plan and respond appropriately.

They further committed to ensuring compliance with agreed contract requirements covering quality, quantity, delivery timelines, documentation and communication.

Regular performance review meetings between KADHSMA and suppliers were also recommended to identify challenges, resolve bottlenecks and improve service delivery.

The meeting was attended by Director General (DG) Kaduna State Public Procurement Agency the Director General (DG) Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority (KADPPA), representatives of the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of Service, NAFDAC, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, State Primary Healthcare Board, Ward Development Committees, development partners, civil society organisations represented by Garba Muhammad Co-Chair of Kaduna State Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM), pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and procurement professionals.

The participants reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the continuous availability of safe, effective, quality and affordable health commodities across Kaduna State through partnerships based on transparency, professionalism, accountability and continuous improvement.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the Executive Secretary of KADHSMA, Pharm. Aisha Isiyaku Tukur; Okoh Patrick of Juhel Nigeria Limited, representing pharmaceutical manufacturers; and Izuchukwu Enujekwu of DEMBART Pharmacy Ltd, representing distributor companies.

The communiqué was unanimously adopted by participants at the close of the session on Saturday, August 29, 2026.

The stakeholders said the commitments were designed to strengthen partnerships and ensure that health facilities across Kaduna State have timely access to safe, quality and affordable medicines and other essential health commodities