Cash crunch: Borno residents to access free drugs from government hospitals

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, has directed the release of drugs worth N300 million and other medical supplies to government hospitals for free distribution to patients amid the naira scarcity. 

Mohammed Arab, commissioner for health and human services, spoke on Thursday while unveiling the drugs in Maiduguri, the state capital.

Arab said the supplies include drugs for prevalent illnesses, maternal delivery kits and other medical essentials.

The commissioner directed medical directors and principal medical officers of public healthcare centres in Maiduguri metropolitan council and Jere LGA to prepare procedural papers to receive their allocations for immediate deployment of the drugs and other supplies.

Arab said the drugs must be given free to patients that have no money at hand or those that have problems accessing funds to pay for their service.

“Officials will rely on patients to be honest because as Zulum noted. We know some people may have money and still demand free drugs by pretending they have none,” Arab said.

“We cannot refuse those in need because of a few dishonest people.”

The commissioner, on behalf of health workers in the state, thanked Zulum for coming to the aid of patients, a move which he described as “humane”.

BabaShehu Mohammed, medical director of the State Specialist Hospital, also appreciated the government’s gesture.

“We feel pained seeing patients unable to pay for diagnoses or buy drugs,” he said.