The Federal Government has launched a new initiative to strengthen health sector procurement by certifying a group of officers through the CIPS HPA Nigeria qualification program.
This program aims to reduce waste, improve transparency, and ensure access to safe and affordable medicines.
The certification program was announced at a graduation ceremony in Abuja, where top officials from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) addressed participants. Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, Director General of BPP, emphasized that the certification represents professional competence and ethical standards in procurement.
The program is designed to prevent malpractice in the sector, including the distribution of fake drugs, inflation of contracts, and wrong prescriptions. Dr. Adedokun noted that the initiative would ensure that procurement officers say no to such malpractices. “That we now have a crop of people who will say no to fake drugs, who will say no to inflation of contracts, and who will say no to wrong prescriptions is what this certificate means,” he said.
The program has already shown significant economic benefits, with some participating states recording 40 to 50 per cent improvement in the cost of health products. Chukwudi Uche, CIPS Country Director, said, “Through our support, some of these states have recorded about 40 to 50 per cent improvement in the cost of health products. The implication is that more Nigerians can now access affordable, quality assured medicines.”
The certification program is part of a broader effort to reform the health sector and improve procurement practices. Pharm. Omokhapue Joseph, CIPS Country Manager, said, “We see these officers as catalysts and change agents that can help regulators make better policies and guidelines to reform the health sector.”
The officials stressed that the reforms would help ensure coherence, reduce duplication, and improve efficiency in health procurement across the country. The initiative is supported by the Gates Foundation and is designed to address longstanding weaknesses in health procurement by building capacity and improving accountability.