Fake family planning products flood market amid stock-outs, Kano agency warns

Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA) has raised concern over the increasing proliferation of fake and substandard family planning commodities in the market due to stock-outs of free supplies. 

Speaking during an advocacy visit by the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) on Wednesday, the agency’s Director General, Pharmacist Gali Sule, warned that gaps in supply are pushing people to unreliable alternatives.

“The proliferation of substandard and fake family planning commodities in the market is a major challenge. This is happening because stock-outs of free commodities force people to seek alternatives, some of which are unsafe,” he said. 

Sule noted that to address distribution challenges and enhance accountability, the agency has integrated family planning commodities into the Essential Drugs Revolving Fund (EDRF).

“Before this initiative, these commodities were not stored in the pharmacy units of Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs), and there was no formal record-keeping system for their utilization. Now, with proper storage and documentation, tracking their use has become easier,” he explained. 

He also acknowledged the contributions of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which donated family planning commodities worth millions of naira for distribution across the state.

He assured the AHBN team that the agency is making concerted efforts to ensure these commodities reach the last mile without logistical hindrances.

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“We have integrated them into the essential drug supply system, which simplifies distribution and facilitates tracking,” he added. 

SolaceBase reports that despite these improvements, Sule stressed the need for sustainability in the supply of family planning commodities. He urged AHBN to support advocacy for full integration of family planning services into the state’s medical supply chain.

“There is a need for a budgetary allocation that will serve as seed capital for the agency to source quality and affordable family planning commodities and store them in case of supply breaks by donor partners,” he emphasized. 

He also called for capacity-building training for Family Planning (FP) and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Coordinators to help them fully understand the integration process and make the most of the system. 

In his remarks, AHBN’s Knowledge Management Officer, Sulaiman Jalo, commended the DG for his commitment to addressing the issue and reaffirmed the network’s support.

“We are committed to strengthening this partnership and will take the advocacy concerns raised to the relevant stakeholders for further action,” he assured.