By Deborah Coker

Sen. Ned Nwoko, Chairman, Prince Ned Nwoko Foundation for Malaria Eradication and the Community, has alleged that Western Pharmaceutical Companies are not interested in helping Nigeria eradicate malaria from the country.

Nwoko said this in Abuja, at a malaria vaccine workshop organised by the Foundation.

He said that they were interested in their profits from the sale of malaria drugs to Nigeria over the health of Nigerians.

The theme of the workshop is: “Building and Strengthening Sustainable Malaria Vaccine Ecosystem in Nigeria”.

He said that in view of this, the need for a malaria vaccine production plant in Nigeria and indeed Africa had become imperative.

According to him, because malaria is an African problem, they show little interest.

“As a matter of fact, they make more money selling their drugs to us.

“There are many types of drugs. Most of them are also not entirely safe after long-term use, as this creates problems for the body in general, kidney, liver, you name it.

“But that’s not their concern. For European and Western societies, their concern is profit over health.”

He noted that no fewer than 600,000 lives are lost to malaria annually, with the bulk of the figure from Africa.

Nwoko added that if malaria were to be a European problem, by now they would have discovered vaccines for it.

“They would have discovered vaccines, put in the money, the effort and the resources.

“They know that if we discover vaccines, their drugs will no longer be needed in Africa. And so the companies will fold up, or they will lose many of their workers.

“This is why our governments in Nigeria and Africa should put the people first, and invest heavily to achieve this. It is something that is achievable,” he said.

Nwoko stressed that every government should be involved in eradicating malaria, adding that it should not be a private venture.

He said that over the years, he had spent about 20 million dollars on research for malaria vaccine and eradication.

Nwoko said that as a lawmaker, his bill seeking to establish an agency that would focus solely on malaria research and eradication was before the Senate.

He said that with the agency, there would be more funding as it would collaborate with the presidential team.

Nwoko said that a public hearing on the bill would take place before July.

Dr Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health, said that the present administration was not only about promoting the elimination of malaria but also to use vaccines as a tool to achieve this result.

Pate was represented by Dr Godwin Ntadom, Director, Public Health in the ministry.

He said that with Nigeria contributing more than seven per cent of the number of global cases and deaths due to malaria, it must begin the initiation of production.

The minister said that the foundation was placing this trade in line with the government’s agenda.

“Beyond this, it demonstrates the passion the chairman of the foundation has for the reduction of child mortality in the country,’’ he said.

In a presentation titled ‘’Malaria Vaccine Advocacy and Community Engagement’’ Dr Michael Nwoko, Director, Malaria Vaccine project of the foundation, said that the workshop aims to chart a course to actualise the project.

He said that the workshop powered by the Foundation, was determined to actualise the manufacturing of the vaccine in Nigeria to eradicate malaria.

He, however, said that the project was a huge one and so it was necessary to unbundle so that results could be achieved.

‘’The reason we are gathered here today is purely for vaccines. We choose to unbundle the project, separate the vaccine and work with critical stakeholders in Nigeria and all over the world.

“This is to see how we can develop a malaria vaccine with the requisite efficacy and potency that can be accepted by our people and that can deliver the results that we need,’’ he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

By Abujah Racheal

As Africa faces multiple health crises, stakeholders at the ongoing Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC 2025) in Kigali, Rwanda, on Sunday, called for urgent reforms to strengthen the continent’s health systems.

With the dual burden of infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), alongside economic constraints, the stakeholders stressed the need for a coordinated, strategic approach to health security, financing, and service delivery.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference is organised by Amref Health Africa in partnership with Rwanda’s Ministry of Health, WHO Africa, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

It comes at a critical moment as the continent grapples with constrained fiscal resources, rising health inequalities, and emerging disease outbreaks.

In Kigali, Rwanda is marking a historic milestone in Africa’s journey toward health resilience.

Under the theme “Connected for Change: Addressing Socio-Ecological Dynamics of Health”, AHAIC 2025 celebrates a decade of African-led thought leadership.

It provides a unique platform for high-level discussions, stakeholder engagement, and exploring cutting-edge innovations to shape a self-reliant Africa amid declining aid and economic challenges.

The conference serves as a vital Africa-led platform to connect the continent with the rest of the world.

Speaking, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting Regional Director at the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa, underscored the importance of collective action in tackling Africa’s evolving health challenges.

“In the realm of infectious diseases and health security, there is no room for saying, ‘I will do it alone’.

“We must remain humble and recognise that the threat of infectious diseases still exists.

“It is critical to build on existing structures and, importantly, collaborate as part of our collective interest, because a threat in one country is a threat to the entire region,” Ihekweazu said.

While Africa’s health agenda is closely aligned with global health priorities, we face unique challenges, including the ongoing burden of infectious diseases and the rising threat of NCDs,” said Amref Health Africa CEO, Dr Githinji Gitahi.

“The health system we need is not the one we have today; urgent reforms are crucial to build a system that is responsive, resilient, and sustainable,” Gitahi said.

With economic challenges limiting Africa’s ability to invest adequately in healthcare, Gitahi stressed the need to revisit the Alma-Ata Declaration to strengthen primary healthcare (PHC) as a cornerstone for universal health coverage (UHC).

“To improve our health system, we must address the structural issues within our economic framework. While this is a long-term goal, in the short term, we must return to the fundamentals of primary healthcare.

“PHC remains the most cost-effective and equitable approach to achieving universal health coverage, yet many countries continue to underfund it.

“Despite commitments from African leaders to prioritise health financing, progress remains slow. Many health systems still rely on donor funding, raising concerns about sustainability,” he said.

According to him, we are facing an economic challenge, particularly with the region’s limited fiscal space.

“We must rethink how we finance healthcare in Africa. Domestic resource mobilisation, public-private partnerships, and efficient budget allocation are crucial.”

Rwanda’s approach to health financing, digital transformation, and epidemic preparedness has positioned the country as a leader in tackling emerging health threats.

Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, shared insights into how the country had built a strong health system despite economic limitations.

“One of our key pillars is systems and governance. We focus on answering the question, ‘How do we adapt our health system to our unique context?

“Rather than copying and pasting models from elsewhere, we believe in creating solutions tailored to our needs,” he said.

He said that Rwanda has significantly increased investment in its health workforce, infrastructure, and digital technology to improve service delivery.

“Investing in our health workforce is a priority, and we are committed to increasing available resources.

“We are also investing in modern equipment and cutting-edge technology, such as AI-powered scans, which should be developed by our young people to address Africa’s unique challenges,” he said.

Africa’s limited fiscal space remains a key challenge in achieving health system reforms. Experts at AHAIC 2025 emphasised the need for innovative financing mechanisms to bridge funding gaps.

Meanwhile, Ms Lolem Ngong, Chief of Staff at Amref Health Africa, highlighted that AHAIC 2025 served as a platform for shaping a resilient and self-sustaining health future for Africa.

NAN reports that the conference is expected to yield concrete policy recommendations that will shape Africa’s health agenda in the coming years.

Stakeholders said they remained optimistic that, with bold leadership, strategic investments, and sustained collaboration, Africa could build a health system that would meet the needs of its people and withstand future challenges. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

By Aderogba George

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has blacklisted an Indian company, Aveo Pharmaceuticals, for producing a range of harmful addictive pills capable of causing death.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, at a news conference in Abuja on Friday, said the company is situated at the outskirts of Mumbai in India.

She said that the company was involved in the production, sales and exportation of addictive pills containing harmful mix of Tapentadol (a powerful opioid) and Carisoprodol, a banned muscle relaxant with addictive properties that could result to overdosing or cause death.

According to the NAFDAC boss, the mix comes as Tafrodol or Royal 225.

The NAFDAC boss said that a BBC World Service investigation revealed that packets of these brands, branded with Aveo Logo, had been on sale on the streets of Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote D’Ivoire towns and cities.

“Aveo Pharmaceuticals, India, is also implicated in the manufacture of high dose tramadol for export to countries in West Africa, including Nigeria.

“This press briefing is to inform the public that NAFDAC has never registered Tafrodol or Royal 225 or a strength of tramadol greater than 100 mg (the prescription strength), or any product manufactured by Aveo Pharmaceuticals Pvt Limited.

“Therefore, drawing from the NAFDAC Act Cap N. 1 Law of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, and the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap C. 34 LFN 2004, NAFDAC has decided to blacklist Aveo Pharmaceuticals Pvt Limited.

“We have also put in place measures to prevent future registration of any product manufactured by this company.

“The public is, therefore, advised to support NAFDAC’s fight against fake, substandard and falsified pharmaceutical products.

“They are also advised to avoid the use of unregistered products and consumption of medicines without prescription from trained medical practitioners,” Adeyeye said.

She said that an undercover operative sent inside the factory with a hidden camera, posing as an African businessman looking to supply opioids to Nigeria, recorded his interaction with one of Aveo’s directors, Vinod Sharma.

Sharma confessed to the exportation of large consignments of these combination of drugs across West Africa and their distribution for abuse as street drugs and opioids.

Adeyeye said that this combination of drugs was not licensed for use anywhere in the world and was not registered by NAFDAC, noting that it could cause breathing difficulties and seizures.

The NAFDAC boss said that an overdose of the drugs could kill, adding that, in spite the risks, these opioids were popular as street drugs in many West African countries, because they were so cheap and widely available.

The D-G assured the public that NAFDAC would continue to deploy various methods to ensure that only quality, safe, and efficacious medicines are available for distribution, sale and use within Nigeria.

According to her, NAFDAC has consistently worked to ensure that the public health is protected through the entrenchment of international best practices during product registration, which include dossier reviews, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspection, and laboratory analysis of products intended for registration.

She said that among it, the agency also worked on Post Marketing Surveillance activities and Pre-shipment Inspection Scheme, also known as Clean Report of Inspection and Analysis (CRIA) Scheme for high-risk countries like India.

She explained that these measures were there to support NAFDAC’s efforts at preventing importation and distribution of substandard, fake, and falsified pharmaceutical products in Nigeria.

Adeyeye said that NAFDAC had intensified its enforcement activities against the sale of illicit and counterfeit pharmaceuticals across major distribution channels and hubs across the country.

She said that this would continue to happen to make Nigeria an uncomfortable place to engage in such unethical and unapproved distribution of fake, substandard and falsified pharmaceutical products.

The NAFDAC boss said that the agency was also working with other regulatory authorities and security agencies to curb their entry into Nigeria through the borders, and thereby, prevent the distribution and circulation of these dangerous products.

She said that with partnership of the public, NAFDAC would continue to carry out its major mandate of safeguarding the health of Nigerians. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

By Ifeoma Aka

The Igbo-Etiti Local Government in Enugu State has vowed to arrest and prosecute any masquerade caught flogging or molesting women and girls in the area.

The council chairman, Dr Eric Odo, disclosed this on Thursday during a one-day campaign on the eradication of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the council headquarters.

The chairman reiterated the council’s resolve to tackle the menace of domestic and gender-based violence in the area in order to protect people’s human rights.

Odo said that the LG would use extant of the state to deal with the menace of SGBV in Igbo-Etiti, which he regretted was on the increase.

This, he noted, explained why he inaugurated a committee on the eradication of the SGBV in the area, hinting that his administration was solidly behind the committee.

The Wife of the Local Government, Mrs Nmuta Odo, while lamenting the increase in SGBV, promised to rehabilitate victims of domestic violence in the area.

The wife of the chairman argued that rehabilitating the victims would not only enable them to reintegrate to the society, but also enable them to overcome trauma associated with the violence.

Odo, who is a chief magistrate, urged the residents of the council to report cases of such violence to the committee, stressing that the committee had capable hands to handle and revolve any case reported to them.

She pointed out that the local government would partner with the Office of the First Lady to combat the menace effectively.

In a message to the event, the Wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah, said that violence against women and children, in any form, was a direct assault on the dignity, safety, and progress of the society.

“It is heartbreaking to know that many of our daughters, sisters, wives, and even sons suffer in silence, trapped in cycles of abuse that not only harm individuals but also weaken the very foundation of our communities.

“It is even more concerning that cultural and societal norms often create barriers that prevent victims from seeking help or getting justice.

“This administration, under the leadership of my dear husband, His Excellency, Gov. Peter. Mbah, had remained committed to tackling this menace head-on,” Mbah said.

The governor’s wife, represented by her Special Assistant on Special Duties, Dr Chidi Egonu, said her office had undertaken several interventions aimed at eliminating gender-based violence and providing support for survivors.

On her part, a resource person in the programme, Mrs Chizoba Agbo, appealed to traditional rulers to abolish cultural practices promoting sexual and gender-based violence.

Agbo, who is also a legal practitioner, urged the committee to ensure that culprits of the GBV were prosecuted using the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law.

Also, Mrs Chinasa Okagu-Nwabufo, the chairperson of the committee and the Vice Chairman of the Council, said that domestic and gender-based violence was a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims.

She disclosed that the committee, under her leadership, had put strategies in place to protect men, women, and youths in the area.

The legal practitioner stressed that they would not fold their hands and watch people being abused or molested because of their gender.

She revealed that Igbo-Etiti was the first local government area in Enugu State to inaugurate a committee on gender-based violence and asked others to do the needful. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu