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 Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that although the country currently has no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), it is, nevertheless, actively strengthening surveillance.
This comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, after 80 deaths were attributed to the disease.
The WHO, however, stopped short of declaring a pandemic, saying it did not meet the necessary criteria. The United Nations agency advised countries against closing borders or restricting trade.
Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and sore throat, and are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash, and bleeding.
In a statement by its Director General, Mr Jide Idris, on Sunday, the NCDC noted that it is also ramping up laboratory readiness, infection prevention, and public awareness efforts across the country.
He said the centre was closely monitoring the situation due to increasing regional movement across African countries and was working with relevant stakeholders, including the Port Health Services under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to strengthen preparedness within Nigeria’s public health system.
“NCDC is closely monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders, including the Port Health Services, to ensure continued vigilance and preparedness within the public health system,” he stated.
The NCDC boss described Ebola virus disease as a severe viral illness transmitted through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, secretions, or contaminated materials of infected persons or animals.
He noted that the disease has an incubation period ranging from two to 21 days, while symptoms include fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, and, in severe cases, unexplained bleeding.
Recall that Nigeria gained international recognition for successfully containing an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller arrived in Lagos from Liberia.
Healthcare workers were advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for Ebola, especially in patients presenting symptoms compatible with the disease alongside relevant travel or exposure history.
Idris stressed the importance of strict adherence to infection prevention and control measures, including early identification and isolation of suspected cases, proper use of personal protective equipment, hand hygiene, and prompt reporting through established channels.
“NCDC will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary,” he added.
NCDC advised Nigerians to remain calm, maintain good hand hygiene, avoid misinformation, and report unusual illnesses promptly.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine has been donated to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, by the corporate social responsibility arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, NNPC Foundation.
In a statement on Sunday by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr Andy Odeh, the state-owned oil organisation said the medical item was given to the healthcare institution as part of its commitment to improving healthcare access and strengthening medical infrastructure across Nigeria.
The MRI system is expected to significantly improve access to advanced diagnostic imaging services for millions of Nigerians across the South-East (Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi States) as well as neighbouring Delta State.
The foundation also provided critical supporting infrastructure, including RF shielding systems, chillers, backup UPS systems, electrical installations, specialised imaging accessories, ventilation systems, CCTV and oxygen monitoring systems, intercom communication facilities, and other patient comfort technologies designed to ensure optimal operation of the facility.
Before now, patients requiring advanced MRI diagnostic services often faced prolonged waiting periods, exorbitant costs, and the burden of travelling long distances in search of functional imaging centres.
But it is believed that the intervention of the NNPC Foundation would provide succour to patients.
At the presentation of the items to the institution over the weekend, the chief executive of the NNPC, Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, described the intervention as a strategic investment in healthcare access, diagnostic precision, and improved patient outcomes, noting that the facility aligns with the company’s commitment to building sustainable systems and impactful national institutions.
“The installation of the MRI in NAUTH exemplifies our commitment, as our intent is to build enduring institutions, sustainable systems and legacies. This intervention aligns with our conviction that access to quality healthcare underpins human dignity, longevity and economic productivity,” Mr Ojulari stated.
He described the company’s social investments as viable currencies that strengthen the relationship between the Company’s core mandate of providing and managing energy for Nigerians and meeting stakeholders’ expectations.
In his remarks, the Governor of Anambra State, Mr Charles Soludo, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, said the intervention would enhance safe and precise diagnosis and treatment for patients across the South-East region.
He also commended NNPC Foundation for donating the MRI facility to the state, noting that the intervention would significantly improve access to quality healthcare services for the people.
The Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Prof Joseph Ugboaja, thanked the donor for the items, saying NNPC Foundation has demonstrated that corporate social responsibility is not just a policy statement but a lifeline for institutions like ours.
“For too long, patients in our catchment area have had to travel long distances to access this level of diagnostic precision, often at prohibitive costs. With this installation, we will eliminate that burden,” he enthused.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has launched a €4.2 million programme supported by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
The initiative, known as the EU Support to Public Health Institutes in Nigeria (EU SPIN), will be carried out over four years in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
It is aimed at improving the performance of selected public health institutions through better coordination, faster information sharing and enhanced workforce capacity.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Mr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the programme as a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“This initiative is designed to strengthen our health institutions, and it is truly a welcome development. It will improve the well-being of Nigerians, especially our vulnerable populations,” he said, noting that it aligns with the federal government’s broader health reform agenda.
Nigeria continues to face a dual health burden, with recurring infectious disease outbreaks alongside a growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
According to the WHO, non-communicable diseases now account for 27 per cent of deaths in the country, while malaria alone contributes about 30 per cent of global malaria fatalities.
Recurrent outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, Lassa fever, meningitis and Mpox also remain a major public health concern.
The EU SPIN programme is expected to address systemic gaps that slow outbreak response by strengthening collaboration among public health institutions and clarifying roles across federal, state and local levels.
It will also support real-time data systems to enable quicker and more informed decision-making during health emergencies.
A key component of the initiative is workforce development, with plans to train up to 75 per cent of public health staff in leadership, prevention and response strategies, as well as digital skills.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Gautier Mignon, said the programme reflects a shared commitment to building resilient health systems.
“Through EU SPIN, the European Union is investing in strong, digitally enabled public health institutions in Nigeria. This partnership underscores our commitment to health security and sustainable systems strengthening,” he said.
Also speaking, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Mr Pavel Ursu, noted that improved coordination and digital tools would enhance the country’s ability to protect lives.
“By improving coordination, skills and digital tools, the project will help protect lives and keep communities healthier,” he said.
Officials said the programme would ultimately strengthen links between public health systems and primary healthcare services, ensuring that communities benefit from faster and more effective responses to health threats.
By 2028, the initiative is expected to deliver more efficient inter-agency coordination, clearer institutional responsibilities and more reliable public health data nationwide, with progress tracked through national monitoring systems and periodic reviews involving government and development partners.
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