• As Tayo, HealthPlus win other categories

For the second consecutive time, Pharmanews has been voted as the Best Healthcare Media (Print) of the Year by the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA).

The 39-year-old health publication emerged winner of the Healthcare Media Excellence Award-Print category, which comprised THISDAY, Pharma Times, Med-Q Magazine, Health Standard and The Guardian Newspaper.

The feat has been greeted by an avalanche of congratulatory calls, text messages and emails from loyal readers (both online and journal), notable pharmacists, stakeholders and other professionals in the health sector.

Established in 1979 as publishers of health periodicals, Pharmanews Limited has since established itself as the leading global healthcare journal on the globe.

The colourful award ceremony which took place at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on  22 June 2018, had several doctors, hospital administrators, pharmacists, owners of health management organsations (HMOs) and stakeholders in the health sector in attendance.

In the senior citizen category, Prof. Fola Tayo, pro-chancellor and chairman, governing council of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos was decorated with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

In other categories, Pathcare Laboratories/Synlab cleared the private laboratory service provider award; Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre (Radiology Service Provider of the Year); AXA Mansard Health (Best Health Maintenance Organisation); Lagoon Hospital (Private Healthcare Provider of the Year); Nigeria Health Watch (Best Online Healthcare Media); The Bridge Clinic (IVF Service Provider of the Year); Renal Dialysis Centre (Best Dialysis Service Provider) and Eye Foundation Hospital (Eye Care Service Provider of the Year).

Perhaps, it could be said that the biggest surprise at this year’s edition of the NHEA Award was the announcement of HealthPlus Limited as winner in the Pharmaceutical Retail Outlet of the Year category.

It would be recalled that HealthPlus, arguably the fastest growing pharmacy chain in West Africa, lost out to Medplus Pharmacy last year after consecutively winning the 2014, 2015 and 2016 editions. However, its forceful come-back this year has been hailed by some healthcare observers as well deserved.

The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA) is set to honour Professor Fola Tayo, Professor Auwal Abubakar  and other healthcare professionals and stakeholders today, Friday, 22 June 2018, at a grand ballroom event in Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos.

Prof. Tayo, who is a seasoned pharmacist and General Secretary of the Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, while, Prof. Abubakar,  who is the CMD of the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, will be honoured with the Special Recognition Award for the Pauper Fund that provides medical assistance to the less privileged in the society.

These and other recognitions will be conferred today,  after a rigorous selection process by the NHEA jury and voting by the public.  According to Dr Anthony Omolola, Chairman NHEA Advisory Board, during a recent media briefing, “We used international recognised standards and criteria to evaluate our nominees before presenting them to the public to vote for anyone of their choice.

We are confident that those who will receive special recognitions and the winners of the medical, pharmaceutical and biomedical award categories, will without  doubt continue to be motivators and positive influencers to drive the Nigerian healthcare.”

Moreover, Omolola said that the two newly introduced categories are testaments of the determination of the organisers to continuously improve and expand the scope to accommodate more stakeholders, who are making unique contributions to care giving in Nigeria. Safecare Facilities of the Year and Healthcare Media Excellence Award (Online) are two newly introduced categories.

The online voting on the NHEA website was completed on Monday, June 18, 2018. As at the time of this report, over 50,000 votes have been cast for various nominees.

The award ceremony will take place in the presence of key government officials, healthcare professionals, representatives of key financial institutions, diplomatic community, NGOs and the media. This will be streamed live on social media to different audience across the globe.

NHEA, is supported by PharmAccess Foundation and TStv.The award is organised by Global Health Project and Resources (GHPR) in collaboration with Anadach, USA.

-Tasks Stakeholders on Improved Collaboration to Prevent Illegal Distribution

Worried by the upsurge in the illegal importation and diversion of prescription medicines and other psychoactive substances not under international control, which has hitherto led to increase in drug abuse and misuse, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has highlighted the dangers inherent in the abuse of Tramadol and Codeine-containing medicines in particular.

The Agency, which expressed her deep concern for public health safety and the resolution of social problems engendered by drug abuse and misuse, identified Tramadol and Codeine, as the most commonly abused drugs in the country, and which are usually brought into the country through different illicit channels.

The information contained in a press statement signed by the Director General, NAFDAC, noted the problems associated with the abuse of Tramadol- a synthetic opioid analgesic, to include: arrhythmias, cramps, coma and death, while the misuse of codeine products contributes to severe health outcomes such as : liver damage, stomach ulceration, respiratory depression, coma and death.

According to the Agency, most members of the public that engage in the addiction of these products are unaware of the dangerous effects of their actions, and which could lead to death, if not curb immediately.

The statement reads in part: “The fundamental objective of the drug control conventions is to achieve a balance between ensuring availability for medical and scientific purposes and preventing diversion to illicit use and abuse. The Agency will therefore continue to raise awareness of the public health consequences of drug abuse while promoting healthy lifestyles through effective and comprehensive demand reduction initiatives in accordance with the three international drug control conventions and national legislation.

“Controlled medicines offer a simple, cost-effective solution to many health problems provided they are available, of the right quality, safety and efficacy; and are rationally. The Commission on Narcotic Drugs expects Member States to improve access to controlled medicines for medical and scientific purposes by appropriately addressing existing barriers in this regard, including reviewing the regulatory and administrative mechanism to ensure availability and access to controlled medicines.

“The Director of NAFDAC’s Narcotics and Controlled Substances, Dr. Musa Umar emphasized that the misuse of controlled medicines appears to result from both their diversion from licit channels and distribution of illicitly manufactured products”.

A six-month report of the Agency further revealed an expansion in the illegal market for Tramadol as the data compiled by NAFDAC’s Ports Inspection Director, Prof. Samson Adebayo, from January to June 2018, showed that  29 X 40’ containers were intercepted at the Apapa Port all containing unregulated 200/225mg Tramadol capsules.

Also at the Onne Port 9 X40’ containers containing the similar formulations were also intercepted and handed over to the Agency by the Nigeria Customs Service. In another development, 180 cartons of Tramadol 225mg were intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service at the SAHCOL Shed of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

“The consignment has since been handed over to NDLEA. The Onne Port, Tincan Island Port and all the land borders are not approved as entry points for Pharmaceuticals into the country and the Agency is worried about the clearance of Pharmaceuticals through unapproved entry points.

“The modes of concealment and importation of illicit Pharmaceuticals into the country remain complicated and serious challenge to effective control at the national, regional and international level.

“These large amounts of Tramadol were destined for illicit markets but were seized. Hence the need for improved cooperation, collaboration, coordination and information sharing between and amongst regulatory and enforcement agencies in real time to detect and prevent diversion of controlled medicines to illicit markets and abuse”, the document stated.

As part of their plans to pay homage to a worthy patron, and an Icon of Pharmacy,the leadership of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS), led by the National President, Mr Oluwaseyi Samuel Akanbi, recently paid a courtesy visit to Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, managing director, Pharmanews Limited, Lagos.

In attendance at the meeting were: Oluwaseyi Samuel Akanbi, PANS national president; Adekunbi Adewumi Adekunmisi, national treasurer; Ese Mary Iyere, national financial secretary; Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, managing director, Pharmanews Limited; Mr Yusuff Moshood, Pharmanews editor;  Mrs Temitope Obayendo, Pharmanewsonline editor; and Mr  Adebayo Oladejo,correspondent.

The PANS national executives briefed the Pharmanews Publisher, on the various activities of the association for the session and solicited for his support as well as fatherly advice for the association.

Speaking during the visit, the PANS president, said they officially decided to pay homage to the Doyen of Pharmaceutical Journalism, whom they have been admiring since their day one in pharmacy school, as well as to appreciate the long-standing relationship and support of Sir Atueyi, as one of their patrons and mentors.

Akanbi, applauded Sir Atueyi for his unflinching support and his fatherly care for the younger generation, saying despite his old age, his impact and contribution towards building youngsters are unmatched. He however, promised to carry him along in all their decisions and activities towards building an active and sustainable structure for PANS nationwide.

In his response, Sir Atueyi who played host to the students lauded the effort of the new PANS administration, led by Oluwasegun Samuel Akanbi and commended his determination towards ensuring that he leaves PANS better than he met it.

The respected pharmacist further commended them for the visit and also praised them for coming up with good projects that would add value to the lives of their colleagues within the short period they will be in office. He also commended them for the initiative to visit all the Deans of schools of pharmacy in the country, towards ensuring that PANS activities in the different chapters are adequately supported.

According to him, the visit to all the Deans across all the Twenty-two Pharmacy Schools in the country is a good development that must be emulated by others that are coming behind, because it would afford the leadership of PANS, both at the national and chapter levels, the opportunity to relate well with the academic staff, which would further boost the recognition of PANS in all the schools, he said.

Also speaking, Mr Moshood, Pharmanews editor, commended the youngsters for the visit, as well as assured them that pharmanews would continue to partner with them in the area of publicity for their programmes, just like it has been doing in the past.

He also lauded them on some of their planned programmes for the year, while promising them that he would personally ensure that their events receive necessary media coverage from Pharmanews. “It is very important that people get to know whatever you are doing, and pharmanews will ensure it continues to give you adequate publicity for your programmes”, he stressed.

The President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. (Alh.) Ahmed Yakasai, along with other prominent pharmacists, recently commissioned the new ultramodern national secretariat for the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN).

Some of the notable personalities that graced the occasion include: Pharm. UNO Uwaga, former president, PSN; Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, publisher, Pharmanews; Pharm. Olumide Akintayo, immediate past president, PSN; Mr  Mayul Kaka, Phillips Pharmaceuticals; Pharm. (Mrs) Ejiro Foyibo, former national chairman, ACPN; Pharm. (Alh.) Olufemi Ismail Adebayo, former national chairman, ACPN; Pharm. (Mrs) Bukky George, managing director, Healthplus Pharmacy, among others.

Yakasai, while commissioning the edifice sited along the popular Allen Avenue Road, in the heart of Lagos, described the new secretariat as a symbol of restored glory for the community pharmacy practice nationwide, saying the project was long overdue for the national body, having occupied the former secretariat which was rented for over thirty-seven years.

The PSN President, who recalled that there was a time he called the national chairman, Pharm. Alkali that he was not going to visit the former secretariat again because he saw their continuous occupying of the place as an insult to the pharmacy profession, as the largest technical arm of PSN, and also for the fact that even state chapters of the association have more befitting secretariats, said he felt that the association deserved better.

The nation’s number one pharmacist, who noted with delight, that the commissioning of the magnificent and spacious edifice in a strategic location, such as Ikeja was one of the eloquent testimonies to show that his tenure and that of the ACPN leadership are not only making a difference but living up to their promises of taking pharmacy profession to higher level for posterity.

Yakasai, who described the new secretariat project as a milestone achievement, however, eulogised the ACPN leadership, led by Pharm. Alkali, describing them as heroes of the pharmacy profession, noting that such a landmark achievement wouldn’t have happened without their support, dedication, and commitment.

In his address at the event, an elated Pharm. Alkali, ACPN appreciated God who made the day a reality, despite several challenges, saying having occupied the former secretariat for over thirty years, it became a difficult task raising the financial need required for the project, knowing the economic challenge besetting the country at the moment.

Recalling the discouragements and doubts encountered during the execution of the project, Alkali said its completion and commissioning was a demonstration of the commitment of his administration to transform the image of community pharmacy practice in the country in all respects despite daunting odds.

According to him, the former secretariat which was a two-bedroom flat rented in a three- storey building on Ikorodu road, for over thirty years, had over the years sent wrong signals to the association’s partners and members nationwide and had portrayed the association in a bad light.

“When I took over, I deliberately refused to renovate it, instead we devised means through which we can gather money and acquire a befitting national secretariat, so with the support of all community pharmacists nationwide, the PSN, led by our able President, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, Pharm. (Alh) Layi Gobir, who was our chairman, Fund Raising Committee; Mr. Mayul Kaka, of Phillips Pharmaceuticals, who was our chief launcher, and numerous others, the result is what we are seeing today,” he said.

Also speaking, Pharm. UNO Uwaga, chairman, ACPN Board of Trustees, and former president, PSN, described the project as a great achievement, saying it was saddening that an association like ACPN at the national level could be struggling to have a befitting secretariat for over thirty years, when smaller associations have better befitting secretariats.

He, therefore, commended the ACPN Chairman and his team for deeming it fit to have their names written in the book of history by ensuring that they are leaving behind, a befitting secretariat as a legacy, which would remain in their honour for posterity sake.

Also present at the commissioning ceremony where the National Secretary, PSN, Pharm. Emeka Duru; Pharm. (Mrs) Rosemary Nikoro, secretary, Board of Fellows; Pharm. Gbenga Olubowale, former chairman, PSN, Lagos State; Pharm. Gbolagade Iyiola, former national secretary, PSN; Pharm. (Mrs) Bukky George, chief executive officer, Healthplus Pharmacy; Pharm. (Mrs) Abiola Paul-Ozieh, immediate past chairman, ACPN, Lagos State; Pharm. Bola Oyawole, former PSN Chairman, Lagos State; Pharm. (Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran, chairman, PSN, Lagos State; Pharm. Samuel Adekola, national vice-chairman, ACPN; Pharm. Chima Ogbu, national publicity secretary, ACPN, among numerous others

The World Health Organization (WHO) today certified Paraguay as having eliminated malaria, the first country in the Americas to be granted this status since Cuba in 1973.

“It gives me great pleasure today to certify that Paraguay is officially free of malaria,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, in a recorded statement. “Success stories like Paraguay’s show what is possible. If malaria can be eliminated in one country, it can be eliminated in all countries.”

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commended  Paraguay on its achievement and briefly outlines the success factors that enabled the country to become malaria-free.

In 2016, WHO identified Paraguay as one of 21 countries with the potential to eliminate malaria by 2020. Through the “E-2020 initiative,” WHO is supporting these countries as they scale up activities to become malaria-free. Other E-2020 countries in the Americas include Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico and Suriname.

“I take pride in saying that PAHO has accompanied Paraguay in the crusade of malaria elimination since the beginning,” said Dr Carissa F Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), WHO regional office for the Americas. “This is a powerful reminder for the region of what can be achieved when countries are focused on an important goal, and remain vigilant after achieving that goal. We are hopeful that other countries will soon join Paraguay in eliminating malaria”.

Achieving malaria-free status in Paraguay

From 1950 to 2011, Paraguay systematically developed policies and programmes to control and eliminate malaria, a significant public health challenge for a country that reported more than 80 000 cases of the disease in the 1940s. As a result, Paraguay registered its last case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in 1995, and P. vivax malaria in 2011.

A five-year plan to consolidate the gains, prevent re-establishment of transmission and prepare for elimination certification was launched in 2011. Activities focused on robust case management, engagement with communities, and education to make people more aware of ways to prevent malaria transmission, and about diagnosis and treatment options.

“Receiving this certification is recognition of more than five decades of hard work in Paraguay, both on the part of public sector workers, as well as the community itself, who have collaborated time and time again in order to achieve the elimination of malaria,” said Dr Carlos Ignacio Morínigo, Minister of Health of Paraguay. “Reaching this goal also implies that we must now face the challenge of maintaining it. Therefore, Paraguay has put in place a solid surveillance and response system in order to prevent the re-establishment of malaria.”

In 2016, in the next phase of the elimination drive, the Ministry of Health launched a three-year initiative to build Paraguay’s front-line health workers’ skills. Backed by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the country strengthened its capacity to prevent disease, identify suspected malaria cases, accurately diagnose malaria and provide prompt treatment – key strategies to tackle the on-going threat of malaria importation from endemic countries elsewhere in the Americas and sub-Saharan Africa.

“Paraguay’s success demonstrates the importance of investing in robust, sustainable systems for health, and I’m very pleased that the Global Fund supported this achievement,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “We need to remain vigilant and prevent resurgence, but we also need to celebrate this victory.”

In April 2018, the independent Malaria Elimination Certification Panel concluded that Paraguay had interrupted indigenous malaria transmission for the requisite 3 years and had the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of transmission. The Panel recommended the WHO Director-General certify the country malaria-free.

They highlighted factors such as the quality and coverage of health services, including malaria awareness among front-line health workers, the universal availability of free medical treatment, and a strong malaria surveillance system.

Between 1960 and 1973, seven countries and territories from the Americas were certified malaria-free: Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and the northern part of Venezuela. In the Region of the Americas, malaria cases declined by 62%, and malaria-related deaths decreased by 61% between 2000 and 2015. However, the rise of malaria cases reported in several countries in 2016 and 2017 show that major challenges remain, including the diagnosis, treatment, and investigation of malaria cases, particularly in remote areas.

The UN has said no fewer than 1.6 million people are killed annually by tuberculosis and the disease would cost about one trillion dollars in economic loss by 2050.

“Despite being curable and treatable, TB kills more than 1.6 million people every year and only about half of the cases are diagnosed properly.

“The disease also takes an enormous financial toll on economies: it is estimated that TB will cost about one trillion dollars by 2030,” the UN has said.

Secretary-General António Guterres said at an interactive dialogue with civil society groups that social drivers must be confronted in the fight against tuberculosis.

“Winning the fight against Tuberculosis requires that ‘social drivers’ of the disease especially poverty and inequality are tackled head on.

“Universal health care provides an ideal umbrella to build cohesion across the global health landscape, on financing, programming and accountability.

“Let us use these meetings as an opportunity to inform a new way of thinking and working; lifting TB beyond its traditional silo,” the Secretary-General said.

He urged greater efforts to provide universal health coverage and combat the growing threat of anti-microbial resistance.

Rising anti-microbial resistance is leading to growing cases of ‘multi-drug-resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)’ where the two most powerful drugs used to fight TB, isoniazid and rifampicin, are rendered ineffective.

Miroslav Lajčák, the President of the General Assembly, who convened the meeting, stressed that knowledge of the disease and factors that complicate treatment have grown, but the world “cannot stop at just knowing.”

“We know we need more research and development for new drugs and treatments; we need more funding; we need universal access to diagnosis and coverage; and we need partnerships and accountability of all stakeholders,” he said.

The civil society dialogue is part of the preparatory process for a high-level meeting, to be held in September, on tuberculosis.

It comes a day before UN Member States start negotiations on the outcome document for the high-level meeting.

Mr Lajčák said the meeting would exchange experiences and learn lessons to contribute to a joint vision of how to ‘End Tuberculosis by 2030’.

As a means of intimating the leadership of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) on the activities of the group, the PSN arm of the Federal Road Safety Corporation (FRSC) Special Marshal, Unit 42, led by its Coordinator, Pharm. Gbenga Olubowale recently paid a courtesy visit to the PSN President, Pharm. (Alh.) Ahmed Yakasai, at the Society’s corporate head office in Anthony, Lagos.

In attendance at the meeting were Pharm. Rosemary Nikoro, treasurer; Pharm. Olusegun Sanusi, secretary; Pharm. Gbenga Olubowale, coordinator; Pharm. Joseph Olafemi Olamiju, member; Pharm.(Alh.) Ahmed Yakasai, president, PSN; Pharm. Emeka Duru, secretary, PSN; Pharm. Sesan Kareem, personal assistant to PSN President, among others.

According to the leader of the team, Pharm. Gbenga Olubowale, the special marshals are the volunteer arms of the Federal Road Safety Corps and were created by the FRSC Status, Section 10 (1), saying that they are men and women of means, with proven integrity in the society that has influence in their immediate environment, workplace, and community in favour of the course of road safety work.

He disclosed that the act empowered them to carry out patrol and other activities that will ensure good road usage, unlike the regular corps marshals who have the power to arrest and book any traffic offenders, as well as prosecute motorists where necessary, saying the only difference between regular and special marshals is that regular marshals are uniformed men and women and were paid by the Federal Government while the special marshals spend their money, make sacrifice, by commiting their time on the services of humanity even though they do the same work and activities.

“Out of our busy schedules, we have come together to render services on road safety to the populace, and we have considered it an avenue to give back to the society, without expecting monetary, or whatever gain from any quarter. As professional pharmacists, one of our core competence is to render service and give our best at all times, so as special marshals, our responsibility is to ensure that road users are safe at all time, and this has been a great motivation for us.

He continued: “Aside ensuring safety on our roads, we also engage in various campaigns, we are looking at various avenues of enlightening the public about the dangers inherent in drug abuse and misuse as we have discovered that drug abuse, which leads to carelessness and recklessness has been one of the major reasons for road accidents in the country. So we have deemed it fit to educate the populace, on the reasons they need to do away with drug abuse.

“We are also trying to organise mentoring programmes for schools, both primary and secondary, with the aim to train them on drug usage and how to ensure safety on the road as road users”, he stated.

In his response, Pharm. Yakasai commended the team for the visit and also lauded their steadfast efforts, with remarkable contributions in saving lives and properties on our roads, saying even though he was never aware of their activities before, he was impressed with what the group is doing.

The PSN president, while extolling the crucial roles of pharmacists in the society, urged them to remain steadfast and ensure that they do not create loopholes for bad eggs to infiltrate. “Pharmacists are hardworking and not selfish, so I am not surprised seeing these wonderful and hardworking pharmacists contributing to national development by rendering selfless service to the nation. I also want to encourage you not to relent in your effort and remain good ambassador of the profession,” he said.

Pharm. Yakasai, who further appreciated the group for their remarkable contributions, however, charged them to be dedicated, honest and be diligent in carrying out their duties all the time, saying life is not only about what people eat and drink, but how many lives they have touched through selfless and humanitarian services rendered.

The preliminary human trial of an experimental vaccine regiment is anticipated to begin in the second half of 2019, according to a study published on Monday in the journal Nature medicine.

The “broadly neutralising’’ vaccine regiment based on the structure of a vulnerable site on HIV was found to have elicited antibodies in mice, guinea pigs and monkeys that could neutralise dozens of HIV strains from around the world.

The new regiment reflected the approach scientists used to develop an HIV vaccine as they first identify powerful HIV antibodies that can neutralise many strains of the virus.

The researchers had then try to elicit those antibodies with a vaccine based on the structure of the HIV surface protein where the antibodies bind.

The study was led by Peter Kwong, and John Mascola with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“This elegant study is a potentially important step forward in the ongoing quest to develop a safe and effective HIV vaccine,’’ said NIAID Director, Anthony Fauci.

NIH vaccine scientist, Zhou Tongqing, said that this was a revolutionary discovery since in past three decades, no research produced so good a result that elicit “broad neutralising antibiotics” in so many animal models.

Over the past years, HIV researchers have discovered many powerful, naturally occurring antibodies that can prevent multiple HIV strains from infecting human cells in the laboratory.

About half of people living with HIV make these so-called “broadly neutralising” antibodies, but usually only after several years of infection, long after the virus has established a foothold in the body.

Since scientists have identified and characterised the sites, or epitopes, on HIV where each known broadly neutralising antibody binds, many laboratories are developing HIV vaccine.

The laboratories are developing HIV vaccine candidates based on the structure of these epitopes with the goal of coaxing the immune systems of HIV-negative people to make protective antibodies after vaccination.

The experimental vaccine reported in this study is based on an epitope called the HIV fusion peptide, identified by NIAID scientists in 2016.

The fusion peptide, a short string of amino acids, is part of the spike on the surface of HIV that the virus uses to enter human cells.

According to the scientists, the fusion peptide epitope is particularly promising for use as a vaccine for two reasons.

Firstly, its structure is the same across most strains of HIV, and secondly the immune system clearly “sees” it and makes a strong immune response to it because the fusion peptide lacks sugars that obscure the immune system’s view of other HIV epitopes.

The scientists first designed the immunogens, proteins designed to activate an immune response, using a collection of antibodies that target the fusion peptide epitope, and then tested in mice which immunogens most effectively elicited antibodies to the fusion peptide.

They found that the best immunogen consisted of eight amino acids of the fusion peptide bonded to a carrier that evoked a strong immune response.

To improve their results, the scientists paired this immunogen with a replica of the HIV spike.

The researchers then tested different combinations of injections of the protein plus HIV spike in mice and analysed the antibodies that the vaccine regimens generated.

The antibodies attached to the HIV fusion peptide and neutralised up to 31 per cent of viruses from a globally representative panel of 208 HIV strains.

Based on their analyses, the scientists adjusted the vaccine regimen and tested it in guinea pigs and monkeys.

These tests also yielded antibodies that neutralised a substantial fraction of HIV strains, providing initial evidence that the vaccine regimen may work in multiple species.

The scientists are now working to improve the vaccine regimen, including making it more potent and able to achieve more consistent outcomes with fewer injections.

The researchers also are isolating additional broadly neutralising antibodies generated by the vaccine in monkeys, and they will assess these antibodies for their ability to protect the animals from a monkey version of HIV.

The NIAID scientists will use their findings to optimize the vaccine and then manufacture a version of it suitable for safety testing in human volunteers in a carefully designed and monitored clinical trial.

(Xinhua/NAN)

Following the death of three persons in Plateau State, due to the outbreak of cholera, the State Commissioner for Health, Kunden Deyin, has forwarded reasons for the avoidable death of the citizens of the state, which he ascribed to non-availability of the Rapid Response Diagnostic Kits.

Deyin, who confirmed the death of the three persons on Monday, said they died of cholera, out of 93 suspected cases in the state, without the availability of diagnostic kits to confirm their status of the disease before their passing out.

Cholera is known to be an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and muscle cramps may also occur.

The Commissioner further noted that lack of health workers in the public hospitals, to attend to the patients, due to the recently suspended strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) was also contributory to the mortality.

According to him,: “Initially, we had 93 suspected cases of cholera, however, three persons died without our confirming if they had the disease or not.

“Fortunately, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) provided us with Rapid Diagnostic Kits, with which we carried out test on five patients from the 90 suspected cases.

“Three test samples came out positive,’’ Deyin said.

Now that the strike is suspended, he expressed optimism that the outbreak would be contained with the suspension of the strike by JOHESU and with the provision of the test kits by the NCDC.

The commissioner has urged every member of the public to up their hygiene skill, by ensuring always washed their fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them, adding that they should also boil their drinking water to kill the organism that caused cholera.

He also called on people to avoid indiscriminate dumping of waste, adding that cholera was a water-borne disease.

The Director General, World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in collaboration with the Prime Minister António Costa of Portugal, has launched the new “WHO Global action plan on physical activity and health 2018-2030: More active people for a healthier world.”

“Being active is critical for health. But in our modern world, this is becoming more and more of a challenge, largely because our cities and communities aren’t designed in the right ways,” said Dr Tedros. “We need leaders at all levels to help people to take the healthier step. This works best at city level, where most responsibility lies for creating healthier spaces.”

Worldwide, one in five adults, and four out of five adolescents (11-17 years), do not do enough physical activity. Girls, women, older adults, poorer people, people with disabilities and chronic diseases, marginalized populations, and indigenous people have fewer opportunities to be active.

Regular physical activity is key to preventing and treating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and breast and colon cancer. NCDs are responsible for 71% of all deaths globally, including for the deaths of 15 million people per year aged 30 to 70.

The action plan shows how countries can reduce physical inactivity in adults and adolescents by 15% by 2030. It recommends a set of 20 policy areas, which combined, aim to create more active societies through improving the environments and opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to do more walking, cycling, sport, active recreation, dance and play.

It also calls for support to, for example, training of health care workers and other professionals, stronger data systems, as well as use of digital technologies.

Dr Tedros added: “You don’t need to be a professional athlete to choose to be active. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator makes a difference. Or walking or using the bike instead of driving to your neighborhood bakery. It’s the choices we make each and every day that can keep us healthy. Leaders must help make these choices the easy ones.”

To support national efforts to implement the plan, WHO is launching an advocacy campaign to promote physical activity, Let’s Be Active: Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday. This new drive, launched at the Portuguese Football Association’s iconic Cidade do Futebol (City of Football), aims to encourage governments and city authorities to make it easier for people to be more physically active, and healthier.

It follows the first WHO Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge event that attracted more than 4000 people to promote movement and activity for health on 20 May in Geneva, on the eve of the World Health Assembly.

In line with WHO’s drive to promote physical activity to beat NCDs, Portugal launched its own national media campaign to promote physical amongst the population.

“This national campaign arises from our drive to inform the Portuguese of the benefits of having healthier lifestyles in order to fight NCDs,” said Mr Costa. “The Portuguese Government is highly committed to implement a systemic approach to promote physical activity and is honoured to receive the launch of the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity.”

WHO

World Health Organisation (WHO), says it commenced campaign to eliminate Yellow fever in the country in February and has vaccinated two million people in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Borno and surrounding communities since then.

The organisation’s Communications Officer, Charity Warigon, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

She stated that the campaign, which would run through 2018, was aimed at vaccinating 25 million Nigerians in different parts of the country, while immunisation would continue in the coming years.

She noted that the campaign was in response to yellow fever cases reported in the country since 2017 when the first case was confirmed in Kwara.

She added that since then, 41 cases were confirmed in seven states and more than 1,700 suspected cases reported from all states in the country.

Ms Warigon said that the campaign was the largest ever yellow fever mass campaign in the country, adding that the programme was part of comprehensive strategy by WHO, UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to Eliminate Yellow Fever (EYE) in Africa by 2026.

She stated that “in Borno where millions of people are in need of humanitarian assistance, no case of yellow fever has been confirmed so far.

“The presumptive positive case of the disease however highlighted the importance of protecting the highly vulnerable population against yellow fever in this extremely fragile area.

“Since humanitarian crisis unfolded in the North East following the Boko Haram insurgency in the region, Borno has been bedevilled with problems.”

The communications officer quoted Wondi Alemu, the WHO Nigeria Representative, as saying “vaccinating IDPs in Borno is crucial.

“This is because protecting vulnerable populations living in high-risk conditions will prevent the spread of diseases, including yellow fever if an outbreak occurs.”

She stated that the living condition of millions of people in the state and tide of outbreaks across the country made it urgent to target the most-at-risk people with the vaccination.

Ms Warigon said WHO was also supporting the campaign in Nigeria through training of workers to help track cases, to coordinate and provide logistic support.

She noted that more than 3,000 WHO-trained volunteers in Borno, including senior supervisors, healthcare workers and community leaders, worked together to vaccinate more than two million people aged between nine months and 45 years in IDPs camps and surrounding host communities.

She, however, called for more efforts at creating awareness among citizens on the importance of vaccination against yellow fever.

She said vaccination was a critical part of the campaign and crucial to guarantee the protection of high number of people in the country.

She maintained that immunisation was the most important and effective measure against yellow fever, as a single dose of the vaccine was sufficient to provide life-long immunity and protection against the disease.

(NAN)

-While Resident Doctors threaten to embark on strike

Health workers, under the aegis of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have called off their 44 days strike on Thursday, following the intervention of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), to take up the mediation process to a conclusive end.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has said it cannot guarantee industrial harmony after a scheduled meeting on 2 June, over the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to resolve lingering issues and also to recall its sacked members by the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

NARD Publicity and Social Secretary, Ugochukwu Eze, disclosed this to press men during a news conference in the  Kaduna State branch, on Thursday in Kaduna.

The leadership of JOHESU announced the suspension of the strike through a communiqué issued at the end of the National Executive Council meeting of the group, held on 31 May, 2018, at the National Secretariat of the Medical and Health Workers Union, Ayuba Wabba House, Abuja.

The document stated that the suspension of the strike was imperative, in order to ameliorate the suffering of the masses, who had not been able to enjoy proper medical attention due to the prolonged strike of the health workers. It was also necessitated following the ex-parte court order obtained by an NGO directing JOHESU to suspend the strike within24 hours.

Although the JOHESU legal team challenged the ex-parte motion at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) and subsequently filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal with a view to quashing the order and taking it away from National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) to the Court of Appeal for adjudication permanently resolving the issue, they decided to call off the strike, while the NICN continues with the process.

The communiqué reads in part:

1. Court takes over the Negotiations between JOHESU and Government in its Alternative Dispute resolution (ADP) centre.
2. JOHESU and Government side are to nominate their representatives in the APR process within 24 hours of the NICN judgment. The Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Labour shall nominate officers that have authority to negotiate on its behalf to the Honourable Minister of Health and Honourable Minister of labour shall not be part of the committee.
3. The agreement reached at the ADR centre will be registered in the court as judgment binding on both parties.
4. JOHESU is to initiate the process of allowing normalcy to return to hospitals within 3 days.
5. Both parties were ordered to maintain status-quo ante bellum while negotiation lasts.

It was an epoch-making moment, filled with reminiscence, joyous reunions and intellectual discourse, as members of the Great Ife Pharmacy Alumni Association (GIPAA) gathered at their Alma Mater- Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, for their first of its kind pharmacy alumni conference in grand style.

The colourful and memorable maiden edition of the event, which took place at the aesthetic foyer of the Pharmacy Faculty, OAU, from 23 to 25 May 2018, attracted eminent alumni of the institution, among whom were : Pharm. (Chief) Bunmi Olaopa, managing director, Evans Medical Plc, and former chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN); Sir. Ifeanyi Atueyi, managing director, Pharmanews Ltd.;  Prof. Lara Orafidiya, first female dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, OAU; Mazi Sam Ohabunwa; former managing director, Neimeth International Plc.

The list of participants of the conference also included:  Pharm. Olakunle Ekundayo, managing director, Drugfield Nigeria Limited; Pharm. (Alh.) Ismail Adebayo, former national chairman, ACPN; Prof. Peace Chinedum Babalola, vice-chancellor, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State; Prof. (Mrs) Oluwatoyin Odeku, dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Oyo State; Dr Lolu Ojo, former national chairman, Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP); Prof. Adebayo Lamikanra, former dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, OAU; Prof. Wison Erhun, dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, OAU; Pharm. Mathew Azoji, managing director, CHAN Medi-Pharm Limited, Jos, Plateau State, among numerous others.

Sir Atueyi, who was the oldest alumnus present at the historic event, having graduated with Diploma in 1964, and bagged his Bachelor of Pharmacy in 1967, expressed his delight for being privileged to witness such an occasion in his lifetime, saying it was great honour for him to see the faces of alumni of the faculty, whom he has seen several years back, and who have become accomplished in their different chosen endeavours in Nigeria and in Diaspora.

The Pharmanews boss, who was the chairman at the symposium, however lamented the absence of his set of alumni at the reunion, noting that most of them have retired from active service. “I am delighted to be here with you all, because it makes me feel younger. However, I think I would have been happier, if any of my set of alumni had been here, so that we can also interact and reminiscence just like you are all doing today. Nonetheless, I am happy the faculty is doing well and our products are becoming a force to reckon with across the country, and beyond”, he said.

Speaking at the event, the National President, GIPAA, Pharm. (Chief) Bunmi Olaopa, who called for a minute’s silence in memory of those alumni who have departed the earth, however recalled that the idea of having an organised alumni body was mooted in 2015, during the Institution’s fifty years anniversary, which eventually led to the birth of GIPAA.

Speaking further, Chief Olaopa noted that the robust role of GIPAA cannot be overemphasized, adding that government can only operate within the limit of its income, and that in an environment where there are competing demands for very scarce resources available to fund and manage educational institutions, it is the alumni body the school will always revert to for assistance in their developmental quest.

According to him, GIPAA has an onerous task of bridging the engagement between the faculty and its graduates and to ensure that the engagement is not only effective, but enduring. He added that the condition of so many facilities in the faculty, including the laboratories and lecture halls, are not in good shape, stating that the group has agreed to take up these responsibilities.

“GIPAA has adopted two different models for project funding in the faculty- the first being the set model, allows members of a particular set to come together under the class umbrella to undertake a particular project in the faculty, and the other model, where the entire alumni body will embark on a project, that may be too big for a class set to handle, through the support of the National Executive Committee”, he said.

He therefore appealed to all graduands of the faculty, who graduated since the 60’s and who are still alive to get their classmates together, those at home and Diaspora, and begin to discuss on the project they can embark on, in order to give back to the faculty.

The keynote speaker, Prof. Fola Tayo, who spoke on the theme of the conference, “Harnessing Resources to Meet Pharmaceutical Needs: Global Trend”, described the theme as being very apt for the nation’s present situation, saying Nigeria has no business being poor, noting that failure of different government administrations to deliver, and lack of political will to harness resources have been responsible for our present woes.

Other speakers were: Prof. (Mrs) Oluwatoyin Odeku, dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, spoke on the topic: “Local Sourcing of Pharmaceutical Raw Materials; Pharm. Olakunle Ekundayo, group managing director, Drugfield Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited, Ogun State, spoke on the topic: “Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing -The past, the present, and future prospects; and Pharm. Mathew Azoji, managing director, CHAN Medi-Pharm Limited, Jos, Plateau State, also spoke on :”Accessing Quality Pharmaceuticals in Nigeria”.”

The high point of the event was the unveiling of executed projects, which include: The New Lecture Theatre, furnished and maintained by 1985/1986 Set; Postgraduate Reading Room, furnished and maintained by 1984 set; E-Pharmacy Library, furnished, equipped and maintained by 1990 set; El-Said Lecture Theatre, renovated and maintained by 1992 set; Marquis Lecture Theatre, renovated and maintained by 1988 set; Borehole, sunk by 1995 set; Medicinal Plant Garden, planted and maintained by 1995 set, among others.

As Pharmanews clocks 39 today, the management and the entire staff of Your Global Health Journal, have expressed their heartfelt gratitude to God Almighty, for his preservation and sustenance over the years, in spite of the various challenges they have surmounted, to retain their excellent position in the business of health publication.

According to the Managing Director, Sir Ifeanyi  Atueyi,: “We are indeed grateful to all our advertisers, subscribers, readers and well-wishers, who have been with us through  thick and thin of the business, the truth is that you are the reason for our existence  today.

“We are consistently working to make the journal better by the day, as it is our culture to introduce new articles and ideas into the journal, in order to give our advertisers best value for their money”, he noted.

The journal, which debuted her maiden edition on 30 May 1979, had since metamorphosed in different ways into a more qualitative and robust health periodical for the benefit of the populace.

It will be recalled that it started as the “Nigeria’s Monthly Pharmaceutical Newspaper”, then became “West Africa’s Foremost Health Journal”, and now “Your Global Health Journal”.

Aside the laudable improvement in print quality and content, it has also gone digital and daily, with the introduction of Pharmanews Application for Android, iOS and Windows Phones, which enable us break  news as it is happening. There is also Pharmanews PDF Application on Google Play Store.

Pharmanews is also heavily present on Social Media platforms as Pharmanews NG on Facebook, twitter@pharmanewsltd, and on Whatsapp with two interactive platforms for pharmacy students, tagged Pharmanews Quiz.

Following the recent outcry against the spate of codeine-containing substance abuse, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has implored religious leaders and clerics, particularly, those of the North West and North East zones to join the campaign against drug abuse, by slanting their Ramadan sermons towards it.

The agency made the appeal through a press statement sent to Pharmanews, on Friday 25 May, 2018, noting that Ramadan is a period where the rites that reflect obedience to Allah, reading the holy Qur’an and listening to sermons are observed; hence people assemble in various mosques to listen to the Tafsir.

The statement, which was signed by the NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, explained that the month of Ramadan is a period that affords clerics the wonderful opportunity to enlighten the youths and adults on the dangers of drug abuse to the human system, community, economy and the nation as a whole.

It further stated that the Ramadan drug abuse enlightenment campaign in mosques has since commenced in all the thirteen {13} states in the two zones, while urging other states to follow suit.

“This period affords the clerics the opportunity to educate the youth by disseminating information on the effects of codeine, tramadol and other substance of abuse on the Youth, the community and economy of the nation, so as to discourage the Youth to shun drugs”, it stated.

It will be recalled that recently, the Federal Government through the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, announced the ban on codeine production and NAFDAC has also placed an embargo on the issuance and renewal of permits for the importation of codeine as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough syrup preparation. These actions became necessary due to the gross abuse and widespread addiction

While urging state governments to join the ongoing campaign against drug abuse, by establishing  drug abuse control committees, the agency stated that it has also deployed strategies like intensive public awareness and sensitization campaign, drug demand reduction campaign, increased enforcement and improved collaboration with sister agencies to address this menace.

The management of the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, has employed ad hoc staff to augment the gaps created by the ongoing nationwide JOHESU strike.

Arikawe Adeolu, the branch President, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), FMC Jabi, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Adeolu, explained that the management of the hospital engaged the temporary workers to assist medical doctors in carrying out their duties in all departments of the centre.

He noted that the engagement of the ad hoc staff became necessary because of the protracted industrial action by members of the Joint Union of Health Workers (JOHESU).

The NARD leader said that the 80 per cent of services in the hospital were going on despite of ongoing JOHESU strike.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited the hospital reports that the doctors and ad hoc staff were seen attending patients.

Mr Adeolu advised other hospitals in the country to emulate the initiative of FMC Jabi by employing ad hoc staff so as to address the challenge of continued over stretching of medical personnel in public hospitals.

“The management of the hospital should be commended for engagement of ad hoc staff to assist the doctors in carrying out their duties.

“But the number of staff is not enough evidenced by the increased working hours and work load on the doctors, this is necessary to counter the effect of the strike on the public,’’ he said.

He called on the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and National Association of Residence Doctors (NARD) to be proactive and reactive.

The local NARD president said that they should sustain their media sensitisation of the general public to prevent JOHESU from telling, what he said were, more lies.

Mr Adeolu added that NMA should engage media consultant that would continue to enlighten the general public on the role of medical doctors and true state of affairs on the health sector even beyond the strike.

He said that the doctors at FMC Jabi were strongly in support of NMA and NARD on their stand over the JOHESU strike.

However, Mr Adeola noted that the ongoing strike was adversely affecting the health sector.

(NAN)