THE Federal Government has unveiled MediPool, a pharmaceutical policy innovation aimed at reducing drug costs and boosting local manufacturing through strategic bulk purchasing.
The initiative was announced, yesterday, by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, in a video shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, @muhammadpate.
MediPool, a Group Purchasing Organisation (GPO), is designed to transform Nigeria’s healthcare procurement system by aggregating demand, negotiating competitive prices, ensuring quality, and enabling efficient supply chain management through technology.
“With the approval of MediPool, President Bola Tinubu has once again demonstrated clear, courageous leadership in confronting the longstanding challenges of affordability and access. “This initiative brings renewed hope to millions of Nigerians burdened by illness and the high cost of care,” Pate said. The minister explained that MediPool would consolidate public sector purchasing to negotiate better prices from domestic suppliers and manufacturers, operating under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
“The programme will initially serve facilities supported by the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), currently reaching more than 37 million Nigerians.
“It is expected to expand to federal tertiary hospitals and private healthcare providers in subsequent phases.
“By leveraging the government’s monopsony power as a bulk buyer, MediPool will shape the domestic pharmaceutical market, reduce prices, and improve access, especially for poor and underserved communities,” Pate added.
