Health
Immunization Cheapest Way to Prevent Diseases—Consultant Paediatrician
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A Consultant Paediatrician with interest in Respiratory and Paediatrics, Dr Bamigboye Olatomi, has disclosed that the best and cheapest way to prevent diseases especially among children is simply by immunisation.
In an interview with the media, including Business Post in Lagos last week, Dr Olatomi, who is also the Medical Director of Lagoon Hospital in Lagos, listed the benefits of getting children vaccinated against diseases.
Speaking on an infection of the lungs, Pneumonia, the medical expert said when a child is vaccinated, the immune system is strengthened to fight against any disease or infection.
“When we give a vaccine, what we want the body to do is to produce antibodies, which are of two types, antigens and antibodies.
“What the antibodies do is to mop up those antigens in your system so that they cannot cause an infection.
“So what vaccines actually do is to strengthen the immune system by giving antibodies the power to fight infections,” she said.
Dr Olatomi defined vaccination as a process in which a substance is injected into the body of an individual to resist an infection.
She said this substance usually contains proteins from some of the bacteria that causes this infection or are engineered bio-medically.
According to her, when these vaccines are given to an individual, they are expected to create a solitude of that infection in the individual, making the taker unable to have an active infection such that the body can respond by producing antibodies against such substances.
Speaking on who is more prone to pneumonia between children and adults, Dr Olatomi said, “Pneumonia is caused by a lot of organisms and not just the pneumococcal bacteria that is the strand.
“Both the young and old are prone to pneumonia. Also, people with sickle cell, asthma, those with renal issues or anyone with a chronic illness are prone to the disease.
In addition, she said those who have reason to remove the spleen, an organ in the abdomen, which helps to fight that infection, are prone to pneumonia and must take pneumococcal shots.
On the vaccines for pneumonia, Dr Olatomi said one is not vaccinated against the disease once in a lifetime and that the doses depend on the age of the receiver.
“For now, we have the national programme on immunization in the country and the pneumococcal vaccine has already been added to the routine vaccines given to children and they have the number of doses they are expected to take.
“Children have three doses and a shot might be enough for adults, but those with other chronic illnesses might need an extra shot to build immunity. So, the number of doses is age dependent and it also depends on some medical condition.
On the risk of not being vaccinated against pneumonia, the medical expert said, failure to be immunised is associated with increased morbidity, which she said is one of the contributors to the under-five mortality.
“When a child is not vaccinated against the disease, he would be exposed to the infection then you will not be able to mount an immune response to fight the infection.
“If you don’t have the vaccine, it usually predisposes you to invasive pneumococcal disease such that you have a very severe form of the disease, which can lead to a lot of things like increased hospitalisation of the child, loss of school days for adults, loss of economic man hours. Also, it has an effect on the economy, school attendance, increased spending on health.
Dr Olatomi then advised government to improve pneumococcal vaccination rates in Nigeria, saying when “you give the immunization, you have less children coming down with the invasive pneumococcal disease and so our spending on health will be reduced.
“The under-five mortality will drop and absenteeism in schools will reduce because when a child is admitted, a parent has to stay with the child in the hospital. The parent has to also run around, making such parent unable to be involved in economic activities.
“Immunization is the cheapest form of intervention you can make to avert preventable diseases in general. It is the cheapest form, the cost of immunization is far lower than the cost of having to treat a child or an individual suffering from vaccine preventable diseases.
Dr Olatomi, who spoke on this year’s World Pneumonia Day celebrated globally on the November 12, of every year, stated that in the national programme, “We give the BCG, which is for tuberculosis. We have what we call the pentavalent vaccine, the vaccine has for dysteria, has for whooping cough, it has the one for tetanus, it has the one for hepatitis and it has the one for influenza bacteria and we have the pneumococcal vaccines, which have three shots.
“The BCG is given at birth and we have the oral polio and we also have the injectable polio vaccines and then those are taken at birth.
“The BCG, the oral polio and the hepatitis B are mainly to prevent the transmission of disease from the mother to the child.
“When the child is 9 months old, we give measles and yellow fever vaccines; that is the immunization for the National Programme.
“However, there are a lot of other vaccines that are available, which we can avail ourselves, including the rotavirus, which is not yet in the programme. It is available to be taken.
“We have the meningitis vaccine, and a host of others for the adult. There is also the chicken pox vaccine.
“We mostly emphasise that these vaccines are given from childhood and this is because when you give a child a healthy start in life, it helps them later in life.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A new rapid diagnostic test (RDT) production plant has been opened in Sagamu, Ogun State by Codix Bio Limited in a bid to strengthen healthcare manufacturing in Nigeria.
The Governor of Ogun State, Mr Dapo Abiodun, commended the company for choosing the state for the factory, which he described as a transformative leap to making the country a big force in the healthcare system.
“We are proud to commission Nigeria’s first large-scale rapid diagnostic test (RDT) production facility—Codix Bio Limited—right here in Ogun State.
“Located along the Sagamu Expressway, this state-of-the-art in-vitro diagnostics factory is only the second of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa and will produce over 147 million test kits annual for diseases such as HIV, Malaria, and Hepatitis B and C.
“This milestone marks a transformative leap in our journey to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system through bold investment, local innovation, strategic partnerships, and local manufacturing,” he stated.
With this facility, Codix Bio is now the first African manufacturing partner selected by the World Health Organization (WHO), SD Biosensor, and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) under the WHO Health Technology Access Pool (HTAP) programme.
This landmark designation places Codix Bio at the forefront of regional production for RDTs in Africa—solidifying its role as a key partner in strengthening global health security.
The new plant positions the firm within the scope of WHO’s technical support system, allowing for technology transfer, regulatory assistance, and sustained global collaboration.
Through the sublicensing agreement with SD Biosensor and MPP, Codix Bio will receive proprietary rights, technical know-how, and materials to legally develop and produce rapid diagnostic test kits based on SD Biosensor’s cutting-edge platform.
This technology enables the production of multipurpose rapid diagnostics adaptable to both pandemic and inter-pandemic periods marking a transformative milestone in increasing equitable access to healthcare in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
With the commissioning of this facility, Codix Bio is scaling innovation and it has positioned Nigeria and the African continent for self-reliant, sustainable healthcare solutions.
“With over 90 per cent of diagnostic kits used in Africa currently imported, this facility will significantly reduce our reliance on external supply chains, conserve foreign exchange, and create high-value jobs.
“This factory will help to solidify Nigeria’s position as a health hub in the continent and globally. This is a leap forward for our national and continental health security,” he affirmed.
“With this facility, we are not only boosting local production but also saving foreign exchange, creating jobs, and reinforcing our public health response capacity.
“We call on other investors to come onboard by producing other medical consumables needed by the various medical diagnostic groups,” the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said.
On his part, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, hailed the facility as a “game-changer” in Africa’s efforts toward disease control, health security, and public health advancement, saying it will improve access to timely and accurate testing and reduce dependence on imported rapid test kits.
The chairman of Codix Pharma Group, Mr. Sammy Ogunjimi, said, “We are delighted to unveil our second manufacturing plant today. But beyond infrastructure, we know that human capital is equally vital.”
He reiterated Codix Pharma’s support for regional integration frameworks, including the Africa CDC, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the African Medicines Agency (AMA).
“Once a product is approved by NAFDAC, it should move freely across Africa. Regulatory harmonization is essential to unlocking the potential of intra-African health trade,” he said.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Governor of Ondo State, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has urged mothers in the state to join the state government and others like the World Health Organisation (WHO) to promote vaccination.
Speaking during the 2025 African Vaccination Week at the Comprehensive Health Centre in Isolo, Akure on April 24, 2025, Mr Aiyedatiwa, represented by his Special Adviser on Health, Professor Michael Sinmidele Odimayo, charged mothers to become immunisation advocates.
“Inform those ignorant about vaccination and its importance. Vaccination is a human right,” the Governor said, highlighting the state’s health priorities, including free Hepatitis B treatment and the expansion of the health insurance scheme.
Delivering WHO’s goodwill message on behalf of the Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, Dr Adebayo said, “The African Vaccination Week is a reminder of WHO’s commitment to ensuring every child has access to life-saving vaccines.
“Immunisation is a human right, and this year’s theme is a powerful call to action. We appreciate all caregivers and partners championing this cause.”
Business Post gathered that about 70 children were immunised and administered doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), Rota vaccine, and Vitamin A.
To encourage continued participation and advocacy, all 70 caregivers received diapers as incentives and were recognised as immunisation champions.
One of them, a 30-year-old Ajibola Ibukunoluwa, said vaccination is a must, stressing that, “Immunisation reduces mortality in children, and I’ll keep encouraging others to get their children vaccinated. The vaccination week has helped raise awareness among mothers.”
Another caregiver, Mrs Hassan Olayinka, whose 9-month-old baby received the measles, yellow fever, and meningitis vaccines at the event, expressed her gratitude to the government, WHO, and partners for making the vaccines accessible and available to children in the country.
“Immunisation is a very powerful tool. It prevents children from falling sick. I am happy with the services I received today and will advise mothers in my neighbourhood to take it seriously. I thank the State Government and partners like WHO for organising this,” she stated.
The immunisation programme was organised by the state government through the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA), in collaboration with WHO, Clinton Health Access Initiatives (CHAI) and UNICEF to mark the 14th African Vaccination Week themed Immunisation for all is Humanly Possible.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Over 5,000 lives were impacted through the nationwide malaria initiative of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc across Enugu, Delta, and Kano States last month.
The company delivered free malaria testing and diagnosis; administration of treatment drugs to those who tested positive; awareness talks on malaria prevention and distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) to residents of the communities visited by its team.
The programme was in commemoration of World Malaria Day 2025 themed Malaria Ends With us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite, which was used to call for renewed commitment to malaria prevention and control efforts.
It was gathered that on April 25, Stanbic IBTC was at Nchatancha in Enugu East Local Government Area (LGA), and went to Okpanam in the Oshimili North LGA of Delta State on April 28, and climaxed the visit to Wudil Ward in Wudil LGA, Kano State on April 30.
“We are proud to support World Malaria Day 2025 and contribute to global efforts to control and eliminate malaria.
“Our partnership with stakeholders has helped raise awareness about the disease; promote prevention and control measures; and inspire action towards achieving a malaria-free world,” the acting chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mr Kunle Adedeji, stated.
The initiative comes at a critical time when sustainable investment in malaria prevention is needed to protect vulnerable populations.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths worldwide in 2023 – representing about 11 million more cases compared to 2022.
Nigeria bears a disproportionate burden of the disease, accounting for 30.9 per cent of all malaria deaths in the WHO African Region. Children under five years old account for approximately 76 per cent of all malaria deaths in the region, making timely interventions crucial for survival.
Through its comprehensive programme, Stanbic IBTC continues its long-standing commitment to promoting health, well-being, and sustainable development in the communities it serves. By focusing on grassroots engagement, the financial institution ensures that life-saving information and resources reach those most at risk.
The campaign represents a model for effective corporate intervention in public health challenges. By supporting prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment strategies, this initiative helps save lives and strengthens community resilience against this preventable and treatable disease.
Stanbic IBTC’s malaria intervention aligns with global efforts that have averted an estimated 2.2 billion cases of malaria and 12.7 million deaths since 2000, according to the WHO.
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