In a pivotal initiative to improve healthcare services in Cross River State, the State House of Assembly has annulled the Essential Drugs Programme Law of 2002 and enacted the Drugs and Health Commodities Management Agency Bill 2025. The bill, introduced by Hillary Bisong, the representative for Boki 2 State Constituency and Chief Whip of the House, was first presented during a plenary session on September 12, 2024, and underwent its second reading on September 18, 2024, before being sent to the House Committee on Health, Nutrition, and Food Security for further legislative consideration. Bisong, who also leads the Health Committee, emphasized that the new law builds upon the framework established by the Essential Drugs Programme initiated by the World Health Organization in 1981 and adopted by the State in 2002. He remarked that while many essential elements from the previous law have been retained, the new legislation introduces a more comprehensive and modernized structure. “After a thorough review, the Committee found that the proposed bill offers a more extensive and up-to-date framework for the management of drugs and health commodities. It transitions from a programme-based model to a fully operational agency model, thereby expanding its operational capacity to more effectively tackle the current challenges in healthcare delivery,” Bisong remarked.
He emphasized the primary benefits of the legislation, which include the implementation of standards for the management and distribution of pharmaceuticals and health commodities across the state. The agency will also be responsible for regulating and overseeing the circulation of medical devices, aids, equipment, chemicals, reagents, vaccines, and other related materials. Bisong stated that the new agency will ensure the effective functioning of the central drug receipt and distribution system, playing a crucial role in enhancing healthcare delivery, especially at the local government level. During the plenary session, lawmakers unanimously endorsed the bill, asserting that the creation of the agency would not only improve the effectiveness of the current Health Insurance Scheme but also create job opportunities for the populace. The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, praised the bill’s passage and reiterated the 10th Assembly’s dedication to enacting legislation that prioritizes the needs of the people and promotes good governance.
