The Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jalingo has reaffirmed its commitment to providing quality healthcare and making drugs available in the hospital for people accessing the facility.
A senior staff of the FMC, Mr. Haruna Abubakar, who spoke to our correspondent in reaction to the publication that “FMC Jalingo lacks drugs,” said the hospital management was committed to drug availability.
“When this administration took over nearly five years ago, we inherited a significant debt related to drug supplies. Since then, we have remained proactive in settling outstanding payments to ensure uninterrupted drug availability for our patients.”
He said FMC Jalingo has a strong working relationship with its pharmaceutical vendors despite efforts by certain elements to sabotage the progress.
Abubakar further revealed that the hospital management is actively engaging with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to streamline access to medications for enrollees.
“Our budget has been submitted to the Federal Ministry of Finance, and we anticipate a resolution to these challenges by the end of March 2025.
“FMC Jalingo remains fully operational, and essential medications are available. We invite members of the public, journalists, and stakeholders to visit our pharmacy and wards, including the Accident and Emergency unit, to verify the facts firsthand.
“While no hospital in the world has all drugs at all times, we ensure that all essential medications are stocked, and for any unavailable drugs, patients are advised to source them externally as is standard practice globally.
“FMC Jalingo is not in the business of providing free drugs but remains committed to ensuring affordable and accessible medications for all patients.
NHIS enrollees continue to receive prescribed drugs within the coverage framework, and we take pride in maintaining the services.”
