Gov. Zulum’s Healthcare Drive Gets Boost as BOCHMA, BODMA Sign MoU. The Borno State Contributory Health Care Management Agency (BOCHMA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Borno State Drugs and Consumables Management Agency (BODMA) to ensure the steady supply of quality and genuine medicines as the formal sector contributory health care scheme takes off in the state, a development that clearly demonstrates effective inter-agency collaboration. Earlier in the day, an oversight visit the first official activity was conducted to assess the readiness of secondary health secondary facilities in Maiduguri. The visit was led by the Honourable Commissioner for Health Prof. Baba Mallam Gana, with the Executive Secretary of BOSCHMA, Dr. Abba Saleh, coordinating activities on the ground. Facilities visited included General Mamman Shuwa Hospital, State Specialist Hospital, Maryam Abatcha Hospital, Umaru Shehu Hospital, and the State Pharmaceutical Store. Speaking before the MOU signing, Dr. Abba Saleh thanked Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for providing an enabling environment for the scheme, describing the rollout of the formal sector as a clear demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to quality healthcare delivery. The Executive Secretary of BODMA, Pharmacist Umar Abdulkarim, said consultations between both agencies produced an agreed list of drugs and consumables, adding that distribution had already commenced in line with the MoU guidelines. The Commissioner for Health attributed the sector’s achievements to Governor Zulum’s leadership, noting that about 50 general hospitals are coming on board, specialist eye and dental hospitals have been constructed in Biu and Monguno, and the State Specialist Hospital Maiduguri has been upgraded. He also disclosed that 20 pharmaceutical companies have signed MoUs for drug procurement, 15 Egyptian doctors have been deployed, and efforts are ongoing to digitise health records. Stakeholders, including the BOCHMA Board Chairperson Hajiya Mairo Bunu, board members Permanent Secretary, Establishment Dr. Sadiq Abubakar Mohammed, and the Nigeria Labour Congress, expressed confidence that civil servants will benefit significantly from the scheme.