The United State Agency for International Development, USAID, and the Nigerian Ministry of Health on Monday inaugurated a medical facility that will provide medical authorities better access to lifesaving medicines and other essential health commodities.

USAID in a press statement said the Abuja Premier Medical Warehouse facility, also known as “Warehouse in a box”, was constructed in partnership with Nigeria’s Ministry of Health and Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The new state of the art medical storage facility costs $5.1 million.

Stephen Haykin, Mission Director of USAID, at the launch said the 3,500-square meter kitted structure was shipped to Nigeria for onsite assembly and features smooth dust-free floor surfaces, temperature regulating systems, security systems, thermal insulated ceiling and warehouse handling equipment.

“We are proud to have been a partner in the “warehouse in a box” effort and with this new facility, the Ministry of health will now be able to provide safe storage for more medicine required to meet Nigeria’s annual needs for public health commodities for the foreseeable future,” he said.

Mr. Haykin said the facility will provide storage space for public health commodities at the central level, enabling the ministry to ensure the provision of quality life-saving health commodities for Nigerians through a central facility.

The U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, through USAID, and the Global Fund, with the Nigerian Ministry of Health approval, provided support for the construction of the warehouses in Abuja and Lagos.

The U.S. assistance in the area of medical storage began in 2014, followed by construction of the first “warehouse in a box” facility near Lagos the following year.

Culled from: Premium Times

Image: Health Minister, Prof Isaac Adewole