The Federal Government has approved a new health policy called Medipool, designed to reduce the cost of drugs and other medical consumables for Nigerians through bulk purchasing.
The approval was granted during Monday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, explained that Medipool is a group purchasing organisation (GPO) aimed at leveraging the government’s buying power to negotiate lower prices for essential medicines and healthcare products. It will consolidate demand from basic healthcare centres and federal tertiary hospitals to enable cost savings.
“Council approved Medipool, a group purchasing organisation to serve as a supplier of essential medicines nationwide. By aggregating demand, we can use the government’s monopsony power to negotiate better prices,” Prof. Pate said.
He added that Medipool would cover procurement planning, logistics, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, financial management, and support for local manufacturing and import substitution. The policy will be executed through a public-private partnership model.
The initiative draws inspiration from similar models implemented in Kenya, South Africa, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.
In another decision, FEC approved a N2.3 billion contract for a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterisation machine at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) in Sokoto. The equipment will enable advanced diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases, including heart attacks and irregular heart rhythms.
Prof. Pate noted that the investment will serve not just Sokoto State, but the broader North West region and beyond, helping reduce medical tourism and save lives.
