Nigerian Correctional Service begins drugs production for inmates

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has commenced manufacturing drugs in order to meet the health demands of inmates across the country.

The Controller General of Corrections, Ja’afar Ahmed, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen after the official flag off of drugs distribution to the 37 state commands of the service by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola on Monday.

He said the drug company, situated at the Kuje prisons in Abuja, is currently producing Paracetamol and cotrimoxazole.

The Controller General said: “We are already working. We have the drug compounding unit in Kuje which has started producing Paracetamol and Septrin [cotrimoxazole] and we wish to expand from there to see that one day, the service will be able to produce all the drugs that we required because we have all the expertise.

“We have already made it a limited company by guarantee and that means it has kicked off.”

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He disclosed that the NCoS gets N77 million per month to buy drugs and other equipment which it distributes to over 75000 prisoners throughout the federation in 244 formations.

“In every pharmacy that you go in all our 244 formations, you will find drugs there. What we want is a situation whereby the health of the inmates that are put under our care is catered for,” Ahmed disclosed.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Interior said the drugs will serve all the custodial centres for the year.

He urged the NCoS to ensure that the drugs get to the inmates, adding that “hands must be on deck to ensure that healthcare of the inmates are not undermined.”

While commending the NCoS for its effort in preventing outbreak of diseases in the country’s custodial centres, Aregbesola charged the service to continue the good work.

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