NEDC Inspects Upgrade of Yobe Central Medical Store to Pharma-Grade Facility
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has inspected ongoing works to upgrade the Yobe State Central Medical Store in Damaturu to a pharma-grade facility, as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve access to quality medicines across the state and the North-East region.
The inspection, conducted on Thursday, July 30, 2026, was led by the NEDC Yobe State Coordinator, Prof. Ali Ibrahim Abbas, alongside consultants, technical personnel from the Commission and officials of the Yobe State Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency (YODMA).
The project involves the renovation and upgrading of the existing warehouse, as well as the construction of offices to bring the facility in line with NAFDAC requirements and World Health Organisation (WHO) Good Storage and Distribution Practices.
The facility is also being equipped with furniture and specialised equipment to enhance the proper storage, cold-chain management and inventory control of medicines and vaccines.
Solar Power to Guarantee 24-Hour Operation
A major component of the project is the installation of a 157.6KW photovoltaic (PV) solar-hybrid mini-grid system, supported by 360KW backup capacity, to provide reliable and uninterrupted power to the medical store.
The system is expected to ensure stable temperature control for vaccines and other temperature-sensitive medicines, reducing the risks associated with power interruptions and improving the overall quality and safety of stored medical supplies.
Speaking during the inspection on behalf of the NEDC Managing Director/CEO, Mohammed G. Alkali, Prof. Abbas said the intervention was consistent with the Commission’s mandate to support post-insurgency recovery and strengthen resilient healthcare systems across the North-East.
He said the upgraded facility would help address challenges associated with medicine shortages and wastage while improving the distribution of essential drugs to healthcare facilities across Yobe State.
“This pharma-grade store will end frequent drug stock-outs, reduce wastage, and guarantee that quality medicines reach hospitals and PHCs across the 17 LGAs of Yobe State,” Abbas said.
He added that the solar-hybrid power system would reduce operational costs and enable the facility to operate around the clock.
Facility to Support Healthcare Across 17 LGAs
Officials of YODMA said the upgraded medical store would serve as the central distribution hub for essential medicines and medical consumables covering programmes such as maternal healthcare, cervical cancer screening, immunisation, leg ulcer treatment and emergency response, among others.
The facility is also expected to strengthen the state’s capacity to maintain adequate stocks of essential medicines and efficiently distribute them to hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs).
The NEDC reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Yobe State Government under Governor Mai Mala Buni to improve access to quality healthcare services and strengthen critical infrastructure as part of broader post-insurgency recovery and development efforts across the North-East.
When completed, the upgraded facility is expected to significantly improve the storage, management and distribution of medicines and vaccines, contributing to a more reliable and resilient healthcare supply chain in Yobe State.
NEDC Inspects Upgrade of Yobe Central Medical Store to Pharma-Grade Facility