The Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, has expressed grave concerns over the state of the pharmaceutical business in Kano, describing it as “on its knees begging to be saved.”
This was contained in a statement issued by Ibrahim Abdullahi, Information Officer Ministry of Health on Thursday.
According to the statement, Labaran made this disclosure while receiving executives of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Kano Chapter, in his office.
“We found the pharmaceutical market, especially the Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA), in a shameful situation eight years after the second tenure of Sen. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso,” Dr. Labaran stated.
He described DMCSA as the sole government-approved agency responsible for sourcing and supplying quality and affordable drugs to public health facilities.
The commissioner highlighted efforts to turn the tide, citing the establishment of a wholesale drugs market at Dangwauro.
“The only thing remaining is to enforce the full utilization of the site to sanitize the drug market in Kano State,” he said.
Dr. Labaran also emphasized the administration’s focus on humanity, urging stakeholders in the pharmaceutical business to operate with caution and integrity.
“Fake and expired drugs could be reshaped, repackaged, and sent back to the market, but a God-fearing person would not engage in such unholy business,” he cautioned.
Earlier, PSN Council Chairman, Pharm. Mustafa Umar, commended Dr. Labaran’s return to office, describing it as timely.
“We were seriously concerned about the fate of the DMCSA, but now we feel relaxed as things are coming back to normal, with the availability of drugs in public health facilities improving to 96% from the previous 30%,” Pharm. Umar said.
He also praised Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for appointing Pharm. Aminu Bashir as Permanent Secretary, a first in the history of Kano State. Pharm. Umar assured the commissioner of the PSN’s commitment to collaboration and informed him of the upcoming PSN conference scheduled for November 2025, which is expected to attract thousands of pharmacists to Kano.
The commissioner pledged government support for the conference, expressing optimism about the ongoing transformation of the state’s health sector.