Kano DMCSA Moves to E-Tendering, Set to Digitise Procurement Exercise

...It convenes stakeholders, consultants to strengthen efficiency, transparency and access to affordable medicines

By Farouk Musa Isa 

The Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA) has commenced preparations to transition from its conventional manual tendering system to electronic tendering, as part of efforts to modernise procurement operations and strengthen the state’s health commodity supply chain.

The development was announced at a One-Day Procurement Planning Meeting of Relevant Stakeholders with Consultants for the 2027 12th DMCSA Tender, organised by the Agency with support from the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Lafiya Programme in Dutse, Jigawa State.

The meeting brought together relevant stakeholders and consultants to review the existing tendering process and deliberate on the implementation of the new electronic system. A major highlight was a practical demonstration by the ICT Consultant on how to use the proposed e-tendering platform for bid submission, processing, evaluation and documentation.

Declaring the meeting open, the Director General of DMCSA, Pharm. Gali Sule, said the transition to e-tendering was in line with international best practices and would improve efficiency, minimise errors and reduce the time required for procurement and bid evaluation.

“Digitising our procurement processes and operations has enormous advantages, including improving efficiency, minimising errors and saving time. With this new bidding process and evaluation, definitely, we are going to save a lot of time,” he said.

Pharm. Gali Sule noted that the initiative was part of the Agency’s broader efforts to strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain and sustain improvements in the availability and affordability of drugs across Kano State.

“We are working on this standard project to also add to these achievements so that every resident of Kano State can have access to qualitative and affordable medicines,” he added.

Earlier, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Kano State Ministry of Health and Chairman, State Sustainable Health Commodity Supply System Committee (SHCSS-C), Pharm. Kamilu Mudi Salisu, described the meeting as crucial to the success of the forthcoming tender exercise.

He said the 2027 tender would introduce a significant improvement over the manual process used by the Agency since 2012, noting that e-tendering would reduce time, cost and workload, particularly during bid evaluation, while improving documentation and efficiency.

Pharm. Kamilu commended the FCDO Lafiya Programme and other development partners for supporting efforts to strengthen the state’s procurement and health commodity supply systems.

At the end of the meeting, stakeholders agreed on key next steps, including hands-on training for relevant DMCSA staff on e-tendering, sensitisation of health commodity suppliers on the new process, and a tripartite meeting involving the ICT Consultant, Logistics Consultant and DMCSA officials.

The transition to e-tendering marks another step in DMCSA’s efforts to modernise its operations and build a more efficient, transparent and sustainable procurement system for improved access to quality and affordable medicines and medical consumables in Kano State.

KNHA, Health Sector Leadership Brainstorm on Amended DMCSA Bill

By Farouk Isa Musa 

Members of the Kano State House of Assembly, alongside top officials of the State Ministry of Health and its agencies, have brainstormed on the Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA) Amendment Bill as part of a 3-Day Validation Workshop on the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board (KSPHCMB), DMCSA and Health Training Institutions Amendment Bills.

The key stakeholders converged at the workshop, currently taking place in Kaduna, to provide a structured platform for meaningful engagement and deliberations on the Bills currently before the Kano State House of Assembly. The workshop seeks, among other objectives, to promote a common understanding of the policy objectives underpinning each Bill, as well as identify ambiguities, inconsistencies, omissions and potential conflicts that may require further clarification or amendment.

Speaking during the opening session, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Jibril Isma'il Falgore, said the present administration, under the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has continued to accord priority to the health sector.

The Speaker, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Muhammad Bello Butu-butu, stressed that members of the State House of Assembly are working tirelessly to discharge their legislative responsibilities and accelerate development across the State.

He assured the participants and the people of Kano State that the House of Assembly would continue to support the State Ministry of Health and other sectors through rigorous, strategic and responsive legislative interventions.

Rt. Hon. Falgore also commended development partners, including the UK Government’s FCDO-Lafiya Programme, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and Sanitas Health and Development Foundation (SANHDEF), and other development partners, for their continued support to the State Government in various capacities.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, said the review of the Bills had become necessary because the existing establishing laws had become outdated in view of the evolving and dynamic nature of global health practices and the changing demands of the health sector.

On the Health Training Institutions Amendment Bills, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf explained that the review would strengthen the health sector by simplifying admission processes, increasing the number of students graduating from health training institutions, and enhancing the quality of education and training provided.

The Commissioner expressed appreciation to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for his commitment to ensuring a thorough review and analysis of the Amendment Bills before their transmission to the State House of Assembly for further legislative scrutiny and eventual passage.

He also commended the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Health, and members of the Committee for their prompt response and commitment to thoroughly scrutinizing the Bills ahead of their consideration and passage.

Speaking on the exercise, the Director General of the Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency, Pharm. Gali Sule, emphasized the importance of reviewing and updating the Agency’s establishing law to ensure that its legal framework remains responsive to the evolving demands of healthcare delivery and pharmaceutical supply chain management in Kano State.

According to him, the review of the DMCSA Bill is aimed at strengthening the Agency’s legal and institutional framework, clarifying its mandate and responsibilities, and ensuring that its operations are aligned with current realities and best practices in the health sector.

He noted that the proposed amendments would further enhance the Agency’s capacity to effectively coordinate the procurement, storage, quality assurance, distribution and management of drugs and medical consumables across the State, while promoting greater efficiency, accountability, transparency and sustainability.

“Reviewing and updating the DMCSA law would provide a stronger foundation for institutional reforms, improved supply chain systems, effective collaboration with stakeholders, and better responsiveness to the pharmaceutical and medical consumables needs of public health facilities,” the DG stressed.

“The validation of the amended Bill is a critical step towards ensuring that the legislation reflects the current operational realities of DMCSA and provides the Agency with the appropriate legal backing to effectively deliver on its mandate,” he added.