Health
Nigeria Can Make Billions of Naira through Medical Tourism—Cancer Expert
By Bon Peters
A cancer expert and pharmacist, Dr Elikee Ekenna, says Nigeria can make billions of Naira annually through medical tourism.
Mr Ekenna made this disclosure while fielding questions recently in Emene Enugu state.
He wondered why Nigerians prefer going abroad for treatment of cancers and other life-threatening ailments like kidney diseases, heart diseases, and diabetes among others, while the cures through natural remedies are readily available even as he said that Nigeria stands to make billions of naira as people from other parts of the world will come for treatment.
Speaking on the synthetic drugs to treat such diseases he said “Some of these chronic and intractable diseases do not respond well to synthetic drugs that informed my quest for something that would do a lot for us.”
He went further to posit that his organization, Ekenna Natures Limited, was committed to understanding and finding cures for different diseases ravaging the world today through natural remedies and has been able to achieve incredible results in providing cures for globally acclaimed intractable diseases.
Mr Ekenna, a University of Nigeria Nsukka trained pharmacist insisted that he approached diseases through natural means, employing the use of plants, which according to him, have been able to produce natural drugs in the forms of capsules and pills that combat ailments like cancer, kidney failure and heart diseases.
He disclosed that those plants were thoroughly studied and based on their phytochemical constituents, were used for the drug formulations.
According to Ekenna, “These are diseases when people have them, they look at them as a death sentence, but by God’s grace I have reversed that notion in this centre.”
The pharmacist, who has garnered so many awards and recommendations from both local and foreign Universities and organizations explained that his researches were based on scientific information, not university research works.
“It is a personal work which had taken me up to 10 years to compile the phytochemical studies and properties of plants,” he said.
Talking about his awards, Mr Ekenna disclosed that the last award he got was from an event hosted by the Association of Private Doctors in Nigeria at a conference centre in Abuja, adding that at that conference, he met the former Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who then was a co-awardee.
His words, “I reminded him how I struggled to present my case to him when he was the incumbent Minister of Health but was referred to National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) Abuja, which invited me for a presentation. I had expected to get more from the minister who showed a lot of interest in natural drugs.”
Speaking on the Federal government’s insouciant attitude towards natural drugs, Mr Ekenna explained that the federal government has shown interest “but what they have done is not very commendable.” ‘I have gotten a patent Right certificate from the Federal Government. But in terms of involvement, nothing much has been done on the side of the government.” Patent right means that the federal government has to be fully involved having certified the efficacy in whatever we are doing here.”
“It takes one man to have an idea or innovation and a whole nation to develop it. If you leave it for one man, he will crumble,” he insisted.
The federal government had helped when they assisted my first line drug by paying half of the cost needed, he said.
Noting that his assistance came as a result of the validation of research work conducted by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) in conjunction with LUTH, “I had expected more from a nation that should be delving more into the developing areas of medical tourism“ he said.
He went further to urge the government to reverse the trend and look into the plants with a high level of biodiversity and bioavailability even as he stated that over-dependency on Oil is not too good for the country, saying, “We are not only rich in Oil but also in active plants.”
Mr Ekenna revealed that he has reservations towards foreign partnerships, “I have not been so quick to run into the hands of foreign agencies, being a drug expert I know the implications. It is easy to sell yourself for a pot of porridge. I have tried to assess myself to see if I can make it as indigenous as possible”.
Taking a walk down memory lane, Mr Ekenna, looking back at how he started acknowledged God for restoring his health when he was diagnosed with a deadly disease during his years at the university. After this, he got inspired and resorted to using plants around him to make drugs.
“I will say that God has been and will continue to be the foundation of this world. I had my problems when I was in the university and how God delivered me made me think otherwise,” he said.
He added, “Having suffered from a disease which pharmacy I was studying at that time could not help me, I was thinking about what next to do but God healed me. God helped me establish a formula that can cure diseases.”
Still giving Glory to God, Mr Ekenna said that his growth was beyond what he had expected it to be, attributing it to hard work, consistency, discipline and a special Grace from God.
In a bid to clear the stereotypical notion of natural drugs always seen as diabolical, Mr Ekenna pointed out the difference between herbal and natural drugs.
According to him, “We have herbal and natural drugs. Natural medicine is more encompassing while herbal medicine is just herbs, ours is a scientific natural medicine which is scientifically derived with the plants studied and packaged in capsules, pills and extracts with the signs of posology; basic systems applied. So that makes a huge difference between what we do here and what we know about herbal medicine”.
He advised that the use of basic systems, where the appropriate dosage is given should be employed in the creation of herbal drugs.
Cancers and diseases being ailments that are not particular to only a set of demography, Mr Ekenna assures that his drugs are suitable for anyone suffering from those diseases except leukaemia which they are yet to establish a protocol to boast of.
“We are here for you if you have kidney disease, kidney stone, liver disease, heart diseases, cancer of all sorts except leukaemia which we have not established a protocol we can boast of at the moment”, he said pointing out some instances of cancers which had been cured completely by those drugs.
Mr Ekenna targets to establish Nigeria as a medical tourist centre for all nations of the world.
“We can do that, we use 100% natural drugs from the soil of this country, we just need to apply our science to these plants”, he said.
Mr Ekenna who made known his stance at a public hearing on the passing of the bill on natural medicine, where he said he defended the bill, stated that the Bill if passed into Law would benefit every sector and the nation’s foreign reserve would increase.
“We are not only rich in oil but also bio-active plants,” he added.
He, therefore, called on the Federal government to invest in natural medicine as it would not only benefit the nation’s health but create possible employment for the youths. He went on to encourage universities to adopt and add to their curriculum the practical aspect of courses, reiterating that once schools are practically inclined innovation and creative ideas would sprout.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An organisation known as GoMed Nigeria is offering free reproductive health services to Nigerian students through a digital self-care platform.
This is being delivered through a partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Lagos State Government.
The pilot scheme will be available to students of the University of Lagos. They will enjoy easier and more private access to essential health products, accurate information, and professional support.
Young Nigerians face some of the highest rates of unintended pregnancy and unmet need for contraception in the world.
Cost, distance, stigma, misinformation, and fears about confidentiality routinely stop students from seeking the products and guidance they need, with consequences that include unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted infections and interrupted education.
The self-care platform is designed to remove each of these barriers. Through the platform, students receive free contraceptives and other sexual and reproductive health commodities provided through the Lagos State Ministry of Health and UNFPA, exclusive discounts on health essentials, and fast, discreet delivery directly to campus and student hostels.
Students can also access trusted sexual and reproductive health information and services through UNFPA’s SoftLife 247 and U-Plan platforms. Through U-PLAN, they can chat directly with qualified Family Planning Service Providers to receive accurate information and address their concerns. They can also confidently engage with GoMed’s registered pharmacists for confidential, judgement-free guidance on medicines and other health products.
“Students should be able to get reliable health information and essential products without cost, distance or fear of judgement becoming barriers.
“This platform brings free sexual and reproductive health commodities, other affordable health products and professional guidance together, with discreet delivery directly to students on campus,” the chief executive of GoMed Nigeria, Mr Anthony Edeki, said.
Also speaking, UNFPA in Nigeria Resident Representative, Muriel Mafico, said, “As the UN agency mandated for “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights”, we are committed to reducing preventable maternal deaths and addressing the unmet need for family planning, including by providing and overseeing access to life-saving commodities worldwide.
“Working alongside our partners, we’re helping roll out the digital Self-Care Platform—so that vital, life-changing information can reach more people, more easily. Together, we want to empower Nigeria’s next generation to make informed health choices and achieve stronger health outcomes and a brighter future.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A financing framework to accelerate the electrification of health facilities nationwide has been approved by the federal government.
The approval was announced at the third meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a presidential programme jointly coordinated by the Federal Ministries of Power and Health and Social Welfare.
The committee was constituted to ensure reliable electricity in at least 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities by the end of 2027.
At the meeting, chaired by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Mr Isiaq Salako, and co-chaired by the Minister of Power, Mr Joseph Tegbe, members of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) presented the recommendations under consideration.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Salako said the Steering Committee approved a financing framework to mobilise investment for healthcare electrification, alongside a facility energy management framework requiring participating hospitals to build sustainable systems for managing their energy infrastructure.
He said the committee also cleared eight (8) private sector proposals for further engagement, drawn from about 70 submissions received during the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Week in Lagos.
The Health Minister added that Energy Management Teams are already in place at federal tertiary hospitals, with state governments being encouraged to set up similar structures. The initiative will now be institutionalised through dedicated budgetary provisions and a full-time Project Coordination Unit to oversee implementation.
On his part, Mr Tegbe declared that the initiative must now move from announcements to actual project delivery.
Describing the NPHI as one of the President Bola Tinubu administration’s flagship programmes, he said the emphasis should shift towards commissioning completed projects that Nigerians can see for themselves, rather than further groundbreaking ceremonies and public messaging.
He emphasised the need for teaching hospitals, state hospitals, and primary healthcare centres to be fully energised, noting that the Rural Electrification Agency has already energised 5 Federal Teaching Hospitals and several other health facilities nationwide.
He also tied the initiative directly to patient outcomes, arguing that dependable power would end hospitals’ reliance on emergency generators, and pledged that the Ministry would continue to prioritise the initiative’s funding needs while ensuring value for money.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have bitterly complained over their inability to track down new cases of Ebola, which has spread into the Republic of Uganda. An estimated 1,635 Ebola cases have been confirmed, and 127 people have died from the dangerous infectious disease in the DRC.
The Ebola outbreak is increasingly impacting social interaction and people-to-people movements, as scepticism toward the disease appears to accelerate among the population, and cross-border movements are being controlled daily. Alarm was sounded last week as the virus moved into new areas of the DRC. In some instances, patient routinely escapes, and limited contact tracing undermines containment efforts. Contact tracing coverage has plummeted to 56.5 per cent, a sharp decline from the 95 per cent target, Health Ministry officials said.
“We remain committed to supporting affected countries until transmission is stopped. We call on partners and donors to urgently mobilise resources to strengthen the response and save lives,” Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said on Sunday.
Shortage of Medical Kits
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that the three major laboratories, in South and North Kivu, have run out of Ebola testing kits, as infections continue to rise daily. Teams are working through a large backlog of samples from suspected Ebola patients, many of which were collected several weeks ago, to confirm or rule out the presence of the deadly virus.
In a situation report released earlier this week, the global health agency said the labs in major cities including Bukavu and Goma were awaiting the arrival of reagents–substances ​ required to run the tests–to resume work on the backlog of samples.
“Running out of Ebola testing reagents during an active outbreak is a serious setback,” Dr Krutika Kuppalli, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern and former WHO officer, told The Telegraph.
“Diagnostics are the foundation of outbreak control; if cases cannot be rapidly confirmed, this may lead to delays in isolation, treatment, and contact tracing, which can allow transmission to continue unchecked,” said Dr Kuppalli.
The Race for Vaccines
Vaccine candidates are racing to fill the gap. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)—a multinational nonprofit organisation that finances vaccine development for emerging infectious diseases—has so far prioritised several vaccine candidates for development.
Two are Ervebo-like prototypes aimed at recognising Bundibugyo’s specific blend of glycoproteins, a platform that showed experimental potential years ago. In 2013, an early version of the vaccine protected 100 per cent of monkeys infected with Bundibugyo. However, because most Ebola outbreaks didn’t involve this species, the vaccine didn’t get the investment needed to become licensed. That’s an outcome CEPI aims to remedy with its latest investment.
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and Public Health Vaccines are developing the vaccines, which, like Ervebo, also rely on the vesicular stomatitis virus. WHO called this technology the most promising of the candidates.
VSV-based vaccines are front-runners because the weakened version of the virus used to produce them is so good at replicating itself inside humans—including the small chunk of whatever germ it’s been hybridised with—without causing harm. As a result, a single dose typically leads to a strong immune response.
Another candidate, called ChAdOx1, operates using a similar concept: A virus shows the immune system part of a pathogen to generate a protective response. However, it uses an adenovirus that causes colds in chimpanzees—and is also harmless to humans—that University of Oxford scientists modified to keep it from replicating.
There’s also a vaccine candidate based on Moderna’s mRNA science, which was also used to produce the company’s COVID-19 vaccines. This vaccine employs tiny fat bubbles to deliver genetic instructions to cells on how to produce a small part of the Bundibugyo virus. The immune system generates a protective response, and the mRNA degrades quickly without causing lasting changes to cells’ genetic codes.
US-Backed Kenya’s Quarantine Centre
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has consistently defended the establishment of US-backed health centres in Kenya. The US says it will quarantine citizens exposed to the virus but not showing symptoms in a facility it is building in Kenya, and will not bring them home if they develop symptoms, instead sending them to a third country.
The CDC imposed temporary travel bans last month on people who have been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan, including green card holders, who are typically exempt from such bans. It is also screening Americans travelling from those countries at three US airports. The strategy marks a sharp break from past practice as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to keep all cases out of US territory.
There are 13 US treatment centres in a government-funded hospital network for severe infectious diseases ready to handle Ebola patients. Public health experts have, however, called on the government to bring any sick Americans home for treatment, and local protests at the Kenya site have led to at least two deaths. A Kenyan court has ordered a halt to the construction.
WHO Appeals for International Community Support
In a rapid and comprehensive response to WHO’s appeal to marshal resources for support of Ebola prevention, the United States has provided an additional $38 million. The additional funds brought the total amount committed by the U.S. to more than $200 million in direct funding, the State Department said in an official statement.
CDC model scenarios show that without strong public health interventions, the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the DRC could become as large as, or even larger than, the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, the agency said.
In modelled scenarios where the isolation of patients is limited, the outbreak could become one of the largest ever documented, said Jason Asher, director of the CDC’s Centre for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics.
From Addis Ababa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also said it had received a €11.5 million renewed commitment from the European Union Commission (EU) to support a stronger preparedness and coordinated response to the Ebola outbreak. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC, described the partnership with the European Union as respectful and without any conditionality, a type of partnership the continent needs.
The package is aimed at reinforcing the EU Commission’s support through the Africa CDC emergency response to the Ebola crisis, within the long-standing and comprehensive AU-EU health partnership. This demonstrates the central role of Africa CDC in coordinating the continental response to health emergencies, as well as the EU’s action as the world’s largest humanitarian contributor.
This includes €6.5 million to strengthen the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative, to help equip frontline teams, train healthcare workers and improve surveillance through diagnostics and an in-kind contribution of €5 million worth of testing equipment, including rapid diagnostic devices and lab test kits, to be deployed quickly where they are needed most. The EU’s partnership with Africa CDC spanning technical expertise, capacity-building, and policy dialogue continues to play a key role in building resilient health systems.
Ebola epidemic at G7 summit
Amid the horror of the Ebola epidemic, world leaders gathered at the G7 summit in France were urged to find the “political will” to push through the final part of the Pandemic Agreement on Monday. In a joint letter, Brazil’s President Luiz Lula da Silva and WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged leaders gathered on the shores of Lake Geneva to get the “benefits sharing” annex of the deal signed with a “sense of urgency.”
The Pandemic Agreement, which seeks to ensure the world is better prepared for the next global outbreak, was agreed last year but a vital element of it was deferred because of arguments over its wording. It is unclear, and perhaps unlikely, that a truly global agreement on benefits sharing can be reached.
Nevertheless, an agreement between the remaining 192 member states of the WHO is possible and would represent a major step forward. “Every month this annex stays unfinished is a month the world is less ready than it could be, and people are less safe than they deserve to be,” say Mr Lula da Silva and Dr Tedros. “Finalising this Agreement, through a shared commitment to one another, is our collective promise to protect humanity.”
The epidemic, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment, was declared on May 15. It has since spread across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, regions marked by insecurity, displacement and cross-border movement.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, is situated in the central African region. With a population of around 124 million people, it shares borders with the Republic of Congo and Angola to the south, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north, and also with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania (across Lake Tanganyika) to the east, and Zambia and Angola to the south.
