The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged the National Assembly (NASS) to promulgate an Act of parliament which will specifically restore the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Act with a view to strengthening the supply and quality assurance of essential drugs, therapeutic medical devices and hospital consumables at affordable cost. According to a statement by PSN signed by its president, Prof. Cyril Usifoh, the objectives of the DRF Act will include ensuring the elimination of the out-of-stock syndrome in the supply chain of drugs, devices and consumables.
DRF is a scheme where drugs and medical consumables are sold at cost-price, plus a mark-up, and the revenue is used to replenish stocks, while ensuring that the drugs remain affordable to those who need them. A DRF scheme uses an initial fund to procure medicines (seed stock) for use in the health system on a user-fee basis for sustainability. Users pay just enough to cover their treatment.
The funds collected from users are in turn used to buy DRF products and the process continues. Against this background, the PSN expects the NASS intervention would harmonise prevalent practices on provision, management and utilisation of drugs, devices and consumables in the federal health institutions (FHIs), thus promoting probity, accountability and transparency in the procurement process. In addition, Usifoh said it would ensure the application of fair, competitive, transparent, value-based standards and practices for the provis.
