Health
Pfizer, Sickle Cell Group Seek Government’s Support
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Government has been urged to give more support to treatment, management and control of sickle cell disease in Nigeria.
This plea was made by the Sickle cell Support Society of Nigeria (SCSSN) and a leading pharmaceutical firm, Pfizer.
Speaking at a conference organised by SCSSN in support of Pfizer in Enugu last week, Professor of Hematology at the Muhumbili University of Tanzania, Lucio Luzzatto, who was the keynote speaker, echoed sentiments shared by others that government must pass a bill on sickle cell control and management to better insure the life of the people living with the disease.
On his part, Medical Director of Pfizer, Dr Kodjo Soroh, submitted that the high death rate of sickle cell disorder can be prevented through proper management and increased disease awareness programmes in rural areas.
He said there is no way government can better manage the situation without making policies that will guarantee treatment for people with the disease.
The Medical Director stressed that Pfizer will continue to support activities on how policies can be improved to adequately impact on Sickle cell patients.
According to a Professor of Paediatric Haematology and Chainman, Sickle Cell Support Society of Nigeria, Professor Adekunle Adekile, government need to be fully involved in order to reduce the burden of the disease in the communities.
He also identified poor leadership on the part of the government as being responsible for the snail paced action against Sickle Cell in Nigeria and called on the National Assembly to revisit the Sickle Cell Act brought before the house four years ago with a view to passing it.
“The chunk of the problem lies on the Government because over the years, they have paid lip service to Sickle Cell Disease control and management.
“Government should make policies on SCD a serious one so that life of patients can be insured. The National Assembly should revisit and possibly pass the Sickle Cell Act to ensure that people with the disease are covered”, he said.
According to Prof Adekile, Sickle Cell is a disease that is common all over the world, particularly in Nigeria which has the largest burden with a total number of 1,500 children born every year with the disease.
Prof Adekile said that the problem of Sickle cell is pervasive and many of the patients live in the rural areas, pointing out that the care in the tertiary or secondary centres are not enough.
He regretted that the government has not paid adequate attention to tackling Sickle Cell Disease noting that the disease cannot be controlled until a comprehensive National policy for the Control and management of the patients is introduced.
On her part, the Director, Corporate Affairs Pfizer for Sub-Saharan Africa, said the community networking is critical to achieving the aim of reducing the burden of Sickle Cell in our communities. She noted that Sickle Cell is not a death sentence even as she advised parents to always identify with organisations that are committed to tackling the scourge.
Also speaking during the conference, the Director, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Centre in Ghana, Professor Kwaku Frempong said that most people who are born with Sickle Cell disease in Africa are not diagnosed and many of them die as children. He observed that Government are not aware of the impact of SCD on childhood mortality while noting that there is no country in the whole of Africa that has programmes for new born screening.
“Our Government must step up measures and provide some supplements so that people can be treated as the medical cost is usually beyond what people can manage,” he said.
The Marketing Officer of Assene-Laborex Limited, a subsidiary of Biomedomics, Pharm Santos Onuigbo, charged young people to know their genotype early enough before going into marriage, adding that the company is committed to ensuring that people get the awareness about their state and better treatment against the disease.
He maintained that the company is partnering with Non-Governmental Organizations to get maximum grassroots mobilisation against the disease.
A participant at the conference, Miss Grace Ocheigo, a student participant from Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU was all praise to SCSSN for another opportunity to interact and meet people that would have cost much to meet were it not for the meeting. The student participant said the student have a greater role to play in curbing the burden of the disease.
“I want stakeholders to use students in the campaign to reduce the burden of the disease in the country because they are more vibrant and are closer to SCD patients that are older people.
“Young people relate more their problems to their peers and when these students are speaking it will have more effects because youths are naturally keen to listen to their mates on an issue. By so doing, they open up, the students will then know how to follow them up” she said.
She appealed to the Government and the NGOs to make screening materials available to medical students so that they can be fully engaged in the process in as much as grassroots mobilisation is concerned.
Other participants at the conference praised the meeting and said it gave them the opportunity to ask questions pertaining to clinical practice which were answered by seasoned practitioners.
They also said the meeting enabled them to network and be involved in collaborative research into new trends in Sickle Cell disease.
Sickle Cell is a disease that is not as popular as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS, but tons of babies born each year around the World inherit the disorder according to reports.
The disease is got by inheriting two copies of a defective gene from each patient. In the process, the red blood cell gets collapsed, forming a crescent moon-like shape, which make it difficult for oxygen to be transported to all parts of the body.
The conference drew participants, stakeholders, partners and sponsors from different part of the world.
The programme, themed ‘Reducing the burden of Sickle cell disease in our communities,’ was anchored on raising awareness for Sickle cell disease, increasing the understanding of the disease among the communities health workers, to review the activities of the society since the last one held was two years ago, with a view to hearing from SCSSN members who were sponsored on scholarship to pursue their post-graduate degrees in Brazil, to outline research and training priorities, update current level of knowledge about the different aspects of the pathophysiology and management of Sickle cell and to hold a meeting of the West African Sickle Cell Network, high Nigeria is a host country.
The 3-day conference was kicked off with a pre- conference workshop with community health workers in the State.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal Government has approved a new policy known as Medipool, which targets lowering the cost of drugs and other medical consumables for Nigerians.
This was part of the decisions reached at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, said Medipool is a group purchasing organisation for competitive pricing and to be a supplier of essential medicines and healthcare products across Nigeria.
According to him, Medipool was developed to consolidate the demand from basic healthcare centres and federal tertiary hospitals, enabling the government to leverage bulk purchasing power to lower medical costs.
“Today, council approved Medipool; it’s a group purchasing organisation for competitive pricing and to be supplier of essential medicines and healthcare products across Nigeria, through the Federal Government’s intervention, the basic health care provision fund, but also eventually outside that, through federal tertiary hospitals, so that as a buyer, we can negotiate lower prices.
“So, it’s using the monopsony power of the government as a large buyer of those commodities, negotiating lower prices and then channeling those commodities,” he said, according to a statement.
Speaking further, the minister explained, “The scope includes, but it’s not limited to procurement planning, distribution monitoring, supply chain, logistics management, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, as well as ensuring that local manufacturers are supported, and import substitution and the financial management and payment systems, as well as capacity building and training and contingency planning to ensure steady availability of essential drugs that are the quality that Nigerians can benefit and at a lower cost through, a public private partnership.”
He noted that the Medipool model was benchmarked against similar initiatives in countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia, emphasising that the administration aims to support local manufacturing, promote import substitution, and ensure Nigerians have access to high-quality, affordable medicines.
The FEC also awarded a N2.3 billion contract for the procurement of a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterisation machine for Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) in Sokoto.
The health minister said this will help the university hospital provide diagnosis and treatment services for heart and blood vessel problems, heart attacks, and irregular heart rates.
“The university hospital in Sokoto will now have this capability, which will serve the population in Sokoto State, the North West geopolitical zone of our country, and indeed the country. It will save lives, but also contribute towards reversing outbound medical tourism, because Nigerians will be able to access services that they were not able to,” he added.
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.
-
Feature/OPED5 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz2 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy2 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking2 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports2 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn
-
Technology4 years agoHow To Link Your MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile Lines to NIN
1 Comment