The North-East Development Commission on Tuesday commenced the revitalisation of the Central Medical Store in Gombe State.

Our correspondent reports that the store was severely damaged by fire last February.

The new project will deliver a state-of-the-art medical facility, including specialised cold storage for vaccines and a dry storage unit for other crucial medical supplies.

Speaking during the handover ceremony of the site to the contractor, the acting Coordinator of NEDC Gombe, Rufai Babamanu, confirmed that the project is scheduled for completion within 12 months.
“We are confident that by this time next year, we will be back here to celebrate the successful completion and handover of this vital project,” Babamanu stated.
He thanked the state government for its ongoing collaboration and urged the Ministry of Health and the local community to provide a supportive environment for the contractor to ensure the smooth execution of the work.

On his part, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, who led the state’s delegation for handover, recalled the tragic fire that engulfed the Central Medical Store in February, leading to the loss of billions of naira worth of vaccines and medical supplies.

Dahiru said, “Today marks a significant step forward as the NEDC steps in to rectify this unfortunate incident by constructing a pharma-grade pharmaceutical warehouse.”

He also thanked the NEDC for its continued interventions in the health sector, including support for maternal and child health, the provision of vaccines and anti-snake venom, and various capacity-building initiatives for healthcare staff.

He assured all that the state government would offer its full support to ensure the successful completion of the project and emphasized that he would personally oversee the project to maintain smooth operations, adding that the government is committed to providing the commission with unrestricted access to the site, fostering a collaborative spirit between all parties involved.