The lead author of the study, Dr. Mary D. Stephenson, explained that recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a clinical condition that occurs when a woman has two or more failed pregnancies within the first 4-6 weeks of pregnancy.
In their tests, the team examined a molecular marker for endometrium health called nCyclinE, which is a glandular epithelial nuclear cyclin. Abnormally high levels of the marker indicate that the pregnancy is likely to fail, while normal levels suggest that it is likely to succeed.
Of the 116 women, 59 had high levels of nCyclinE and 57 had normal levels.
The women with high nCyclinE levels received treatment with natural micronized progesterone, administered vaginally, whereas those with normal levels made up the control group.
The women were administered 100-200 milligrams of progesterone every 12 hours, and the treatment was initiated 3 days after a surge in the luteinizing hormone indicated that ovulation was due to begin.
The results were promising. In the group that received the treatment, the pregnancy success rate improved significantly.
Before receiving the treatment, the group had a 6 percent success rate. This jumped to 69 percent after progesterone administration.
Overall, the pregnancy success rate was also higher among women who were treated with progesterone, compared with the control group.
Women who took progesterone had a 68 percent pregnancy success rate, compared with 51 percent in the control group.
Although this is an observational study and cannot therefore establish causality, the researchers hypothesize that the progesterone stimulated endometrial secretions, which in turn fed the embryo.
Pharm, Remi Adeseun has been elected as the new chairman of the O’Trafford Squash Club Ikoyi Lagos, succeeding Mr Larry Ettah, who just completed his tenure of 2 years as stipulated by the Club's Constitution.
Adeseun, who was the Club's Treasurer before his appointment, was unanimously elected by the members at the Club’s Annual general Meeting over the weekend
He is a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, as well as the Executive Chairman of Rodot Nigeria Limited and also the Chairman of HEWS Foundation.
Elected alongside Pharm, Adeseun at the Annual General Meeting which held on Saturday 7th of January are Mr Taye Ige who is now the Vice Chairman; Mr Cyril Ayemere, Secretary; Mr Biyi Mabadeje, Captain, Mr Yomi Adeyemi, Treasurer and Mr Ademola Olusunmade, Publicity Secretary.
In his acceptance speech, Adeseun on behalf of the new executive committee thanked the last exco and stated the exco’s commitment to taking the club to new heights.
Present at the AGM were the members of the club including the members of the Board of Trustees.
Although it appears their services went unnoticed, but little did they know that a day of reward was on the way.The 2016 ALPs Forum and Service Appreciation Day, was the occasion organised by the Lagos State branch of The Association of Ladies Pharmacists (ALPs) to applaud and award the past executives of the group,both living and dead, for their meritorious services to the association.
The colourful day, which coincided with the end of the year thanks giving of the association, was first of its kind from the history of the state branch and it featured various activities such as: key note address; professional presentation on creating a niche in kidney surgery; award presentations, carols; dining, wining and dancing, among others.
The list of the awardees include:
Dr (Mrs) Ogori Taylor, FPSN, Prof.B.O Silva, dean,Faculty of Pharmacy, UNILAG; Prof. Olukemi Odukoya, former dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, UNILAG; Pharm. Bisi Bright, CEO, Live Well Initiative; Pharm. (Mrs) Moyosore Adejumo, DPS, Lagos State; Pharm. Margaret Obono, Pharm. Dere Awosika, representatives of women groups and others.
While some ladies can spend their last kobo on any formulation that claims to give them a brighter smile, it is ironical to know that what they have travelled all the way to Sokoto to seek is actually in their ‘sokoto’, as these substances could be found in their kitchen cupboard.
According to a new theory postulated by a movement of nutritionists and bloggers, using natural items like turmeric, strawberries, charcoal and even earth for teeth whitening, can be more effective method than using chemicals in form of tooth paste.
The report as published on Daily Mail Online stated that Turmeric is just one of the colourful ingredients lauded for its teeth-whitening abilities as well as a whole host of other health benefits.
They suggested that using a small amount on a wet toothbrush, and leaving the bright yellow paste on your teeth for three to five minutes before brushing again with regular toothpaste, stressing that the results are obvious within days.
Another natural health ingredient, charcoal, has also been spruiked as the key to attaining whiter teeth.
Melbourne-based nutritionist Steph Lowe, who runs the food side of former Bachelor Sam Wood's 28 fitness program, told Body and Soul the ingredient is set to make a splash this year.
Another natural ingredient listed is charcoal, which offers some pretty amazing health benefits. Most commonly it has been used to improve digestive function and decrease the production of gas, but it also has fantastic teeth whitening properties,' she told the publication.
‘Charcoal works by binding with surface staining culprits like coffee and wine, removing plaque with one application,' she said.
One more ‘natural’ – and controversial – way to care for your pearly whites is said to be Diatomaceous Earth (also known as silica powder) – which has been spruiked by Pete Evans' wife Nicola Robinson in homemade toothpaste.
However, aesthetic and general dentist Dr. Angelo Lazaris has warned that though natural methods appear to work well for some, but you should be very cautious when using an abrasive mix of ingredients.
A new strain of Avian Influenza virus, popularly known as bird flu, has entered Nigeria and spread to 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with over 3.5 million birds affected, the Federal Government has said.
According to the government, in a bid to prevent the entry of the disease into their respective countries, Nigeria’s neighbours have proposed a ban on poultry and poultry products from Nigeria.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, disclosed this in Abuja for Tuesday at a consultative meeting with commissioners for agriculture/livestock, states directors of veterinary services and major stakeholders in the poultry industry.
Ogbeh explained that the first outbreak of bird flu in Nigeria was reported in 2006 and spanned through 2008, but was controlled and eradicated through concerted efforts facilitated by the availability of resources from a World Bank-sponsored project and support from the country’s development partners.
The minister said, “Almost a decade later, precisely in December 2014, the disease reoccurred in a commercial poultry farm and a live bird market in Kano and Lagos states, respectively. The current status of the disease in the country is quite alarming; it has now affected 26 states and the FCT, with over 3.5 million birds culled so far.
“Recently, a new strain of the bird flu virus (H5N8) was reported in Kano. The new strain is believed to be very pathogenic and more devastating to poultry species and, therefore, it may further add to the burden of the H5N1 strain that is currently circulating in the country.
“The disease is transboundary in nature and also trade-limiting; some of our neighbouring countries have proposed to ban poultry and poultry products from Nigeria. This may undesirably lead to an egg glut in the country.”
Ogbeh stated that there were already huge and unacceptable losses in the poultry industry and the nation as a whole, and urged the agriculture commissioners of the various states to retrace their steps in order to provide safe food for Nigerians as well as ensure national self-sufficiency in food production.
He noted that aside from paucity of funds, other challenges that led to the outbreak of the disease included lack of compliance with on-farm quarantine measures and movement restriction; violation of biosafety measures leading to rapid spread of the disease; and clustering of poultry farmers with limited adherence to hygienic measures.
Others, according to the minister, are reluctance of poultry farmers to register with the state directors of veterinary services for easy monitoring and regulation; and unregulated activities of egg and manure merchants.
To help address the challenges, Ogbeh said the Federal Government had provided disease containment materials, reviewed the national emergency preparedness plan on Avian Influenza, enhanced the laboratory diagnostics capacity at the National Veterinary Research Institute in Plateau State, and created awareness and advocacy on the disease.
He stated that other measures put in place to address the situation were the allocation of quality grains to the Poultry Farmers Association to support its members across the country, and the payment of N707.67m to 276 farmers as compensation.
NAPPSA Annual Scientific Conference and Exposition to be held in Houston, Texas. The NAPPSA Annual Meeting is the largest International Nigerian pharmaceutical conference and exposition, attracting scientists from industry, academia, and government.
NAPPSA invites pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientist to submit abstracts for the poster session at the 2017 NAPPSA conference.
NAPPSA accepts original research findings for poster presentation. Posters recently presented at another conference may be presented at the NAPPSA conference. It is the author's responsibility to comply with all applicable copyrights.
Mail your abstract to poster@nappsa.org. No abstracts will be accepted after July 31, 2017. You will be notified by email of the acceptance of your abstract. Find abstract submission guidelines. The guidelines also contain instructions for poster preparation.
For additional information, please contact:
Dr Sydney Ugwu at sugwu@aol.com
Dr Okezie I Aruoma at okezie.aruoma@gmail.com
Dr Patrick Nwakama at nwakamape@verizon.net
Submission Dates and Instructions:
The deadline to submit an abstract is July 31, 2017.
A “receipt of abstract” notice will be sent via e-mail to the contact author once the abstract has been processed.
Abstracts may not be changed or withdrawn once accepted by the Scientific Program Committee. If circumstances prevent attendance, the author must arrange for the paper to be given by a substitute. Acceptance of the abstract by the Committee obligates the author to present the paper.
You will receive your acceptance notice and session instructions in by August 15, 2017. The complexity of the program planning process prevents any changes in the type of session, time or location of presentation.
Authorship/Sponsorship Guidelines:
Authors are permitted as first or presenting author on one or more abstracts for the meeting. There is no restriction to the number of co-authorships or sponsorships.
Abstracts submitted by non-members must be sponsored by a full or associate NAPPSA member. By sponsoring the abstract, the sponsor acknowledges that the research has been done according to the internationally accepted Code of Ethics.
NAPPSA members may sponsor an unlimited number of abstracts.
Content Rules and Guidelines:
The Scientific Program Committee reviews each submitted abstract. The scientific quality of the abstracts presented contributes substantially towards making the NAPPSA Annual Meeting the leading international Nigerian forum for new pharmaceutical research. As such, there is a minimum standard for abstract acceptance. Abstracts are archived materials that are often cited as publications and the quality of the science presented at the Annual Meeting is paramount. The following guidelines apply:
The abstract cannot be more than 2,300 total characters. This includes the title, body, author last name, institutions and spaces. It should be typed single spaced using Times New Roman font size 12.
The abstract may not contain tables, figures or chemical structures.
Abstracts describing the results of experimental studies must answer two key questions: “What was done?” and “What was found?” Abstracts must contain the following:
A statement of the rationale and scope of the study presented;
A brief description of the experimental procedures;
The data that resulted from the study; and
Principal conclusion(s) based on interpretation of the results.
Phrases such as “results/data will be discussed” convey no information as to the outcome of the studies and are unacceptable. In the case of studies that do not describe laboratory or field experiments, all the guidelines above apply with the following modifications:
Instead of experimental procedures, the research or assessment approach should be briefly described, and
Instead of resultant data, the study's results or findings should be explicitly summarized
Abstracts describing new initiatives or science policy in the regulatory community must clearly describe the impact on the practice of pharmaceutical and related medical science.
Literature surveys or reviews and background materials are insufficient in and of themselves.
Define all non-standard acronyms.
All abstracts submitted with human testing require that IRB-approved protocol has been followed.
All accepted abstracts will adhere to assigned time slots.
All presenters are responsible for registering for the Annual Meeting and paying the registration fee
Category List
The categories listed below are used to group abstracts on similar subjects for the Scientific Program Committee review and session Programming (this list is subject to change without further notice). This list is not exhaustive.
Bioinformatics/Computational Science/Biometrics
Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamic Modeling
Natural Products/Phytopharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical Care
Pharmacoeconomics/Business Development
Drug Discovery/Drug Development
Drug Delivery
Regulatory/Policy (Drugs & Biologics)
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Pharmacovigilance/Risk Management
Manufacturing/Quality by Design
Clinical Research and Ethics
Supply Chain/Intellectual Property/Counterfeits
Pharmaceutical Science Education
SUBMITTING AN ABSTRACT: Email your abstract to poster@nappsa.org.
The National Healthcare Management Conference is a platform to expand advocacy and generate new ideas and opportunities to improve patient safety. This year's edition of the Confernce explores contemporary issues on patient's safety in the healthcare industry.
The conference will be held on the 21st – 22nd March 2017, at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja Nigeria and the theme of the conference is “Improving Patient's Safety through Leadership and Management Development.”
For more enquiries please call: 08087504372 or 08056081259.
President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to reverse the general out of pocket payment for healthcare in the country, assuring the masses of a robust healthcare insurance programme, to take off soonest.
The president who made the statement at the flagging off of the Primary Health Care Revitalisation Programme, as reported by Channels TV , in Kuchigoro, a suburb at the nation’s capital territory, acknowledged the pains the citizens are passing through to access healthcare, and vowed to make the situation better.
The President said: “I am aware that out of pocket payment for health constitutes over 70% of total health expenditure. This is more than the globally recommended 30-40%. However, only less than 5% of the total population is covered by any kind of health insurance or risk protection mechanism which is against the recommended 90% coverage by the World Health Organisation.
“Our vision is to reverse this unsatisfactory situation and better care for the poor and needy”.
During campaigns, the All Progressives Congress, the president’s political party, promised to revitalise one Primary Health Care Centre in each of the political wards in Nigeria.
“Our goal of revitalising the Primary Health Care Centres is to ensure that quality basic health care services are delivered to majority of Nigerians irrespective of their location in the country.
“We shall focus more on the people living in the rural areas and the vulnerable population in our society such as women, children under 5years of age and the elderly in collaboration with national and international partners.
“Let me state clearly, that this revitalisation programme is in alignment with the agenda of our party, the All Progressive Congress (APC). We did promise to provide succour to the poor while at the same time providing for all other segments of the society,” he stated.
As the year begins and work resumes in earnest, it is normal for every employee to focus on meeting his goals and targets, not making provision for siesta. However, a new study has found that observing an hour's nap after lunch can keep your brain five years younger.
The Chinese researchers, who conducted the research on around 3,000 Chinese adults over the age of 65 – with 60 per cent reporting that they had a nap after lunch ranging from 30 to 90 minutes, found that those who had a longer or shorter nap did not produce the same results.
The study reported on Daily Mail Online, and published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society; found that people who took an hour-long nap after lunch did better on the tests compared to the people who did not nap.
Participants were given basic maths problems and memory tests to complete to assess their cognitive ability.
It was also reported that those who took shorter naps, longer naps or no naps at all showed decreases in their cognitive skills that were four to six times greater than those taking hour-long naps.
Dr Junxin Li, who led the research, said: ‘These people also experienced about the same decline in their mental abilities that a five-year increase in age would be expected to cause.
‘Cognitive function was significantly associated with napping. Comparisons showed that moderate nappers had better overall cognition than non-nappers or extended nappers.
‘Non-nappers also had significantly poorer cognition than short nappers.'
A medical practitioner, Dr Arikawe Adeolu, has warned against the excessive consumption of catfish, saying it could increase the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Adeolu, a practitioner at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that catfish contains omega-6 fatty acids, which could increase the level of inflammation in the body.
He added that inflammation was the underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers and diabetes.
He said that although catfish also contained omega-3 fatty acids, which has a lot of health benefits, the ratio of omega-6 was far greater than omega-3 fatty acids.
Adeolu said that this made it necessary for the fish to be consumed in moderation to prevent health complications.
“Catfish is rich in two fatty acids – omega-3 fatty acids and the omega-6 fatty acids.
“The omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the concentration of bad cholesterol in the blood stream and increase the concentration of good cholesterol in the blood stream.
“It also helps protect the heart and the cardiovascular system from any form of disease, prevents inflammation within the body and helps reduce the quantity or concentration of inflammatory substances in the body.
“The underlining basis for most cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer disease and many other diseases that we know today, is chronic inflammation, which signifies a long standing inflammation in the body.
“This is where the catfish controversy comes in. A lot of reports have advised against eating it and this is because although it contains omega-3 fatty acids, which have many health benefits, it contains more omega-6 fatty acids.
“Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory in the sense that they increase the level of inflammation within the body and make one more predisposed to any kind of disease.
“When catfish features a lot in your diet, you consume more omega-6 fatty acids in your diet than the protective omega-3 fatty acids.
“Therefore, you are more predisposed to diseases if you consume a lot of catfish.
“The optimal ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids is supposed to be four to one, but because the catfish is reared artificially and is fed with synthesised food, the ratio can be up to ten to one,’’ he said.
Adeolu also said even though there were a lot of controversies surrounding the consumption of catfish, it still held some advantages over most fishes consumed today.
He said catfish is a good source of protein, rich in essential amino acids needed to build muscles, bones and different tissues in the body.
He explained that catfish contains a moderate amount of calories per serving or per gram, hence, was an ideal choice for those watching their body weight.
According to him, catfish is rich in phosphorus and magnesium, which are essential micro-nutrients that play a significant role in a lot of biochemical processes in the body.
“Catfish has a very low amount of mercury, which is very toxic to the human body and can when consumed in large quantities, damage the nervous system,“ Adeolu said.
In what would be tagged the first of its kind campaign against rape, was held by the Institute of Nursing Research (INR-FCNSWZ), Nigeria in Ekiti state recently.
The programme tagged “The menace of rape: the professionals’ perspectives” was held at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital School of Nursing Auditorium.
The campaign was flagged off with a rally on the streets of Ado-Ekiti with songs and placards that revealed utmost displeasure against this hydra-headed monster – Rape! This was followed by a training on the prevention and management of rape.
The communiqué issued by the Institute of Nursing Research (INR-FCNSWZN) after the programme states:
Rape is dehumanizing and all hands must be on deck to war against this ugly trend.
To the Parents: Parents should feel free to give sex education to their children as this will go a long way in teaching these ones ways to prevent them from being victims. If parents will not take up this role, the children will be taught the wrong things by their friends.
The parents should also be very close to their children so that they can be free to open up on any of their experiences.
To the children: They should not trust anybody! They should not be found in dangerous situations alone.
To nurses and other health professionals: They should all arise to war against all forms of sexual harassment. Much research should be done on this issue and appropriate interventions should be carried out from their discoveries.
To the religions organizations: They cannot afford to be silent about this trend that has eaten very deep into the fabrics of the society.
To the law enforcement agents: They should make sure any offender is made to face the wrath of the law.
To the Government: They should support non-governmental organizations in their efforts to wage war against rape.
Institute of Nursing Research can be of help and has constituted a team of professionals to attend to rape issues. Any victim that needs anyone to talk to or any form of assistance can call or chat with any of these numbers: 08037811768, 07033301600 or through email:inrfcnswzone@gmail.com
Former managing director of GlaxoSmithKline (Nigeria) Plc, Pharm Lekan Asuni, has explained why he parted ways with the multinational company.
In an exclusive interview with Pharmanews, Asuni who is also chairman, Association of Nigerian Representatives of Overseas Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (NIROPHARM) declared that he decided to move on having stayed on for so long at GlaxoSmithKline.
Pharm Lekan Asuni
“As you are aware, I was, until recently, the managing director of GSK. After spending 25 years of meritorious service, I decided it was time to pursue my personal aspiration.
“To further answer your second question, Yes, I have fulfilled that personal ambition by floating my own company – Lefas Pharmaceuticals – a research and development (R & D) based outfit that deals in innovative medicines,” he said.
According to the pharmacist, the vision behind the new initiative is to contribute towards making people healthier by ensuring that it abides by certain core value which includes transparency, integrity and empowerment.
At the moment, Lefas Pharmaceuticals have four major divisions namely pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biological, medical devices and public health department.
“As a new company, this is the way it is wired. Presently, we have a couple of local and foreign organisations that we are partnering with,” he noted.
On whether Lefas would equally be involved in importation, the founder said, “Yes! There will be some level of importation. But as much as possible, we want to see some kind of value addition to it. The public health unit has nothing to do with importation. That is more like the consulting arm.”
Asuni, a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN) remarked that his establishment goes beyond pharmaceuticals. He further added that it focuses more on public health issues where, in view of his experience, they hope to make that count.
He however explained that the medical devices, vaccines and biological division are areas of core pharmaceuticals which, over time, would be produced locally in the country.
When prodded on whether he has properly assessed the potential of the market before birthing Lefas Pharma, the former GSK helmsman giggled.
“Of course, we have assessed the market. Don’t forget that I have spent 25 years in the pharma industry. As a matter of fact, since I graduated, I have always been in the core pharmaceutical field. I have never veered out.
“In terms of understanding where the potential lies, I think we have done that through my experience. Yes, there are opportunities. But you know that in life, every choice comes with its risks. You need to weigh those opportunities carefully vis-a-vis so many other factors, competitions, social economic situation and so on,” he stressed.
In his opinion, Lefas Pharmaceuticals is quite optimistic of the potential in the health sector especially in the pharma industry of Nigeria.
“That is the mission we set for ourselves,” he declared.
Reels out measures to address students-related issues
In a show of appreciation for its continual support over the decades, the newly sworn-in national executive members of Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS) recently paid a courtesy visit to Pharmanews corporate office in Lagos.
L-R: Adeyeye Haastrup, national public relations officer; Taiwo Abayomi-Ola, national general secretary; Adeyinka Setofunmi, PANS national president; Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, managing director, Pharmanews Limited; Stella Balogun. Students exchange officer; Moshood Yusuff, Pharmanews editor; Adeyemi Balogun-Agbaje, national sports director and Joel Omikunle, business development manager during PANS courtesy visit to Pharmanews office in Lagos.
In attendance at the meeting were Adeyinka Setofunmi, PANS national president; Taiwo Abayomi-Ola, national secretary secretary; Adeyeye Haastrup, national public relations officer; Stella Balogun. Students exchange officer and Adeyemi Balogun-Agbaje, national sports director; Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, managing director, Pharmanews Limited; Moshood Yusuff, Pharmanews editor and Joel Omikunle, business development manager.
According to PANS president, they officially visited to appreciate the long standing relationship and support of Pharmanews managing director and how he still relates with students despite the huge gap in age difference.
“It is a known fact that you blazed the trail of pharmaceutical journalism and made it a role model for all to see. You remain an icon of the profession and we are fortunate to still have you in our midst. This is why we made it a point of duty to visit you shortly after our swearing-in and tap from your fountain of knowledge,” Setofunmi remarked.
Among other things, the national president canvassed for a column dedicated to PANS-related activities that would address all pharmacy students across the nation.
“For instance, we have several reports on how pharmacy students in various campuses held many programmes to celebrate World Aids Days as well as exclusive reports on the pharmacists we lost at UNIBEN. We need a bigger platform to report what we are update all our members in the country.
“Secondly, we are contemplating having about three annual Pharmaco-posiums (pharmaceutical symposium) that would have speakers addressing students and pharmaceutical companies coming for products presentation and exhibitions,” he enthused.
Setofunmi further stressed that the excos believed that if anybody can properly administer or position such programme aright, it has to be Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi.
The general secretary further buttressed his view by saying that Pharmanews journal, aside updating people in the profession, has become a reference point for pharmacy who reveres it as a resourceful material for research to date.
“I must confess that prior to gaining admission to study pharmacy, I detested reading a lot. However that habit changed the day I came in contact with your journal. Rather than serve one of the profession, it encompasses everything you need to know Pharmacy. We want to personally thank you for setting that standard” he emphasised.
Reacting to the excos request, Yusuff Moshood, Pharmanews editor noted that starting a column in any publication is not really a problem.
“Sustaining such column is where the actual challenge lies. So what we do basically at Pharmanews to justify such conviction is to always request for four articles ahead before we engage the columnist at all.
“This is where my headache lies. I understand that, as students, you will always have your hands full because of your academics. But if you are motivated enough to handle these challenges, no problem,” he reassured.
Moshood however admonished the association to consider zoning their annual symposia to the three major regions in the country for equity.
Appreciating PANS, Pharm Ifeanyi Atueyi said that he was happy with the excos for coming up with such lofty ideas during their tenure. He added that the essence of leadership is not to fill up offices but to create values.
“I have been relating with students since 1979 when we then had only four universities. I remember that University of Ife (now OAU) started from Ibadan before its present site in Ile-Ife.
“Some of us, the early starters, started with diploma before we were recalled to complete our B.Pharm degree. Some of us turned up, others had since opted to school abroad out of frustration. Therefore anything PANS will always get my attention because they have been our greatest partner in pharmaceutical field,” he stressed.
Pharm Okey Akpa, chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMGMAN) is a man of few words. Whenever he makes up his mind to talk, the taciturn pharmacist doesn’t mince his words. In this brief interview with Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis, Akpa disclosed how the association, whose members have invested no fewer than US $44 million into factory expansion in Nigeria, has been grappling with economic recession as well as their plans for 2017.
Pharm Okey Akpa
How will you rate 2016 in terms of PMGMAN activities?
For PMGMAN (the respective local manufacturing companies that made up the association), the general consensus is that it is a challenging year for us. That is not saying anything new. We all know that the country is in recession. Inflation is on double digits. The national currency is weak compared to dollar and other international currencies. Government spending power has been highly restricted (compromised) and has gone down to the consumer level. The consumer purchasing power has gone very low. If you look at it carefully, you will realise that it has become a “Double Whammy.” Cost of production has gone up and you cannot transfer the increase in prices directly to the consumers in totality because there is weak purchasing power. Consequently business has been tough and challenging; margins are diminishing and actually disappearing in some instances. It is tough all round but we are hanging in there.
Businesses are reportedly folding up in many sectors. How is PMGMAN coping?
There is no gainsaying the fact that retrenchment is ongoing in the sector because capacity of production has dropped. To further show how low we have fallen, we are talking about the region of 35 to below 30 per cent. What that means is that we are not running at full capacity; some jobs have been lost, not to talk about no capacity to employ new ones. Yes, we are seriously affected too.
What can be done to aid development in local manufacturing sector?
It is difficult to give a single advice as it were now. What I can advise is that people should focus on only essentials and further seek how we can collaborate and leverage on each other’s capabilities more.
Is there any update on the perennial issue of Common External Tariff (CEF)?
Well, we are still hopeful that the issue of CET would be resolved very soon.
What should local manufacturers be looking forward to in 2017?
2016, as I mentioned at the beginning of this interview, was a very challenging year. That notwithstanding, I am an incurable optimist. I have a strong believe that 2017 will be better, by the Grace of God. We are quite optimistic that most of the measures being discussed and put in place now will begin to yield result by 2017; and then things will begin to look up. That is being highly optimistic
Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body. It is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms sometimes begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. Others includes:
Widespread pain: The pain associated with fibromyalgia often is described as a constant dull ache that has lasted for at least three months. To be considered widespread, the pain must occur on both sides of your body and above and below your waist.
Fatigue: People with fibromyalgia often awaken tired, sleep disorders Sleep is often disrupted by pain, and many patients with fibromyalgia.
Cognitive difficulties: A symptom commonly referred to as “fibro fog” impairs the ability to focus, pay attention and concentrate on mental tasks.
Other problems: Many people who have fibromyalgia also may experience depression, headaches, and pain or cramping in the lower abdomen.
CAUSES
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but it's thought to be related to abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain and changes in the way the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) processes pain messages carried around the body.
It's also suggested that some people are more likely to develop fibromyalgia because of genes inherited from their parents.
In many cases, the condition appears to be triggered by a physically or emotionally stressful event, such as:
an injury or infection
giving birth
having an operation
the breakdown of a relationship
the death of a loved one
Genetics. Because fibromyalgia tends to run in families, there may be certain genetic mutations that may make you more susceptible to developing the disorder.
Infections. Some illnesses appear to trigger or make fibromyalgia worse.
Physical or emotional trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder has been linked to fibromyalgia.
PRECAUTIONS
Exercise can relieve several fibromyalgia symptoms. Physical activity can reduce pain and improve fitness. Exercising just three times a week has also been shown to relieve fatigue and depression. But it's important not to overdo it. Walking, stretching, and water aerobics are good forms of exercise to start with for people with fibromyalgia.
REMEDIES
Treatment tends to be a combination of:
Medication– such as antidepressants and painkillers
Talking therapies – such as cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling
Lifestyle changes – such as exercise programmes and relaxation techniques
Health officials from California have cautioned on the need for people to keep their cell phones several feet away from them to reduce radiation exposure and health risks.
The practitioners released guidance for reducing exposure to cell phone radiation recently, amid mounting evidence that cell phone use may be linked to cancer, attention, mental health and reproductive health issues.
Cell phones transmit information using low frequency radio signals, which may expose us to unhealthy radiation, especially when streaming or downloading large files.
Research has not been able to prove definitively that cell phone radiation is dangerous, but there have been enough studies linking the two to warrant caution, especially for children, according to the press release.
The notice came after several cities in California issued local warnings that their citizens should make some distance between their phones and their bodies.The radiofrequency (RF) energy cell phones use to transmit information are at the bottom of the radiation totem poll, but research suggests that our frequent, close-range exposure to cell phones may be enough to endanger us.
Sleeping with cell phone is dangerous
‘Keeping a phone directly on the body has never been a good idea,' says Dr Devra Davis of the Environmental Health Trust.
In fact, cell phone makers themselves seem to agree. Apple, for example, includes an ‘RF exposure' notice in the iPhone's settings.
The notice explains that the iPhone's RF emissions were tested at 5 mm – about the thickness of a fine point pen – from the body, and fall within the US standards of safety.
But it also includes advice for reducing exposure – not unlike California's new guidance – by using speakerphone or hands free accessories.
‘Most people are not aware that there is a clear warning to keep the phone off the body embedded in the phone,' says Dr Davis.
This is particularly worrisome because most parents aren't aware of these warnings are are not managing their children's exposure to phones.
The California guidance notes that RF may more easily penetrate the brain matter of children than that of adults. The exposure may also be more damaging and have more lasting effects on the developing brain.
Studies have shown evidence that cell phone exposure may cause tumors in the brain or ears, where the body is frequently in contact with the device.
Though research on RF's effects on children specifically is fairly scarce, many psychologists have already warned that cell phone use may be linked to poorer attention, mental health and sleep for adolescents.
Less than a week ago, France banned cell phones from primary and middle schools. Though the ban's goal was primarily related to mental health, it has drawn praise from experts worried about radiation exposure.
Although investigations by Nigerian researchers may still be ongoing on the issue, but to play safe in the new year, it is wise to keep our phones away from us while sleeping.
Pharmacy Students in Nigeria under the aegis of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS) in collaboration with AB Global Health Initiative, an NGO based in Nigeria are set to host the first ever Certificate Course in Global Health Pharmacy in West Africa.
According to the head of Global Health Pharmacy Projects in the organization Aniekan Ekpenyong, the course will be held at three Nigerian universities; one in the north which would serve as the Northern cohort, another in the West (Western cohort) and the last in the South (Southern and Eastern cohort). The center for the northern cohort will be at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, with Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University Ife hosting the Western Cohort while Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt will serve as the centre for the Southern/Eastern Cohort.
The certificate course introduces theories and concepts including current trends, issues, challenges and debates in global health to provide a critical understanding of the determinants that shape the current global health situation, and the important role expected of pharmacists to play.
The course aims to raise critical thinkers in pharmacy who are able to contribute to debates and challenges in global health, inspire and develop pharmacists who will in the near future lead advocacies for global health issues and also provide a platform for networking with other global health leaders in Africa.
The course director and lecturer is Professor Don Eliseo Lucero Prisno III of the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Don has published in the fields of global health and public health in scientific journals and has authored book chapters. His work has been recognized by a number of international awards including the first Global Health Promotion Practice Award by the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE).
Targets of the course include pharmacists, recent graduates of pharmacy and pharmacy students in Nigeria and West Africa. The date is slated for the 5th – 12th of February, 201 7 (6th -7th for the Northern Cohort, 9th – 10th for the Southern/Eastern Cohort and 11th – 12th for the Western Cohort).
More information about the event can be obtained by visiting AB Global Health Initiative on facebook or sending an email to abqlobalhealthinitiative@qmail.com
Researchers now view glaucoma as a disease of the brain — a neurodegenerative disease — rather than simply an eye disease. Recent research has shown that the complex connection between the eye and the brain is an important key to the disease.
Glaucoma shares a number of features with degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Lou Gehrig’s disease. In all of these diseases, age and family history are significant risk factors, and specific areas of the brain are damaged over time. In glaucoma, the only difference is that the “specific area of the brain” affected is the eye and optic nerve!
Indeed the eye’s retina and optic nerve are a part of the brain: during early development, a small part of the brain pouches out and becomes the retina and optic nerve. Inside the eye, a group of neurons called retinal ganglion cells collect all of the visual information and pass it down their extensions, called axons, through the optic nerve and back to the rest of the brain. The ganglion cell, which collects all the vision information from the other retinal cells, is the one type of cell that is initially damaged by glaucoma.
The optic nerve continues to be a major focus for researching the underlying causes of glaucoma. Whether due to mechanical trauma, decreased blood flow, or other causes, optic nerve axon injury causes changes in retinal ganglion cells, eventually causing cell death. Researchers have observed that specific areas of injured optic nerve axons and retinal ganglion cell loss match the peripheral vision damage from glaucoma.
Because the retinal ganglion cell axon stretches from the retina through the optic nerve to the brain, its surrounding cells also become damaged by glaucoma. Within the retina, other cells, such as amacrine cells, degenerate and rewire their connections after retinal ganglion cells are lost.
There are also changes in the brain within the lateral geniculate nucleus (the main brain target of optic nerve axons), and even the visual cortex, which is the part of the brain that helps us interpret visual information.
Thus, in addition to treatments directed at lowering eye pressure, still the mainstay of glaucoma therapy, there may be opportunities to develop treatments directed at the retina and the brain. Some promising treatments that promote nerve health, called neurotrophic factors, could help at multiple places in the visual pathway.
For example, neurotrophic factors such as ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) may keep retinal ganglion cells from dying, a process called neuroprotection; they may increase axon regrowth down the optic nerve, called regeneration; and they may improve the support between the dying retinal ganglion cells and their surrounding cells in the retina and brain, called neuroenhancement.
The understanding that one key to glaucoma is in the connections within the retina and to the brain has led to exciting advances in research that may well lead to new potential treatments.
Article by Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicone.
The conference is a specially organized two day event which will provide a multi-channel communication platform that brings together both “producers” and “consumers” of pharma world of generic sector. It includes prompt keynote presentations, Oral talks, Poster presentations and Exhibitions. It is a perfect platform for researchers, scientists and, delegates to share experience, foster collaborations across industry and academia, and evaluate emerging technologies across the globe.
Motives to attend:
Keynote presentation along with interactions to galvanize the scientific community.
Workshop and symposiums to reach the largest assemblage of participants from the Pharma community.
A wide track of exhibitors to showcase the new and emerging technologies.
Platform to global investment communityto connect with stakeholders in Pharma sector.
Young Scientist/ Investigators Award geared towards best budding young research.
Links to the political marketing resources in order to expand your business and research network.
Triumph of Awards, Certificates and CPD Credits recognizes your commitment to your profession to encourage the nascent research.
Target Audience:
Scientists
Pharmacists
Scholars from Pharmaceutical backgrounds
Business Tycoons
Students, Scientists, Researchers, and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universities and Medical Colleges
Researchers from Pharmaceutical Companies, Pharmacy Associations and Societies
Health professionals
Business development professionals, Consultants and Pharma service providers
Quality control specialist
Graduates and post graduates in industrial pharmacy
Medical Devices Manufacturing Companies, CRO
Data Management Companies.
Pharmaceutical legislators and regulators
Market Analysis
Globalized growth of Pharmaceutical Research
Pharmaceuticals are one of the world's most beneficial ventures. Amid the most recent 30 years, the industry has burned through billions of dollars on research and procured billions consequently. In 2008 alone, the pharmaceutical business sold $773 billion in items around the world a number that has reliably developed for as long as 8 years and is anticipated to increment again by 2.5 to 3.5 percent in 2017, as per the medication statistical surveying firm IMS Health.
In any case, the procedure that transforms look into dollars into pharmaceuticals is a moderate and regularly strenuous one. It now takes a normal of 12 to 15 years and up to $1.7 billion for a medication to go from revelation to advertise, as indicated by The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Also, regardless of constantly and cash contributed, just a modest bunch of medications are affirmed by the FDA every year.
The laborious medication endorsement prepare uncovers a focal truth about Big Pharma: it's a standout amongst the most seriously controlled businesses on the planet. The U.S. Nourishment and Drug Administration (FDA) and its European Union partner, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), represent each part of a medication's improvement from chemicals utilized as a part of the medication and clinical study directions, called conventions, to bundling segments and showcasing materials. This strict oversight is intended to ensure persistent wellbeing, and pharma organizations consider administrative oversight important. The consistent weight to hold fast to government commands shapes each part of a pharma company's association, operations, and culture. For instance, sedate organizations keep up capable administrative undertakings divisions-the offices that arrangement with government offices and they have a tendency to be hazard disinclined.
The Pharmaceutical industry's long successful strategy of placing big bets on a few molecules, promoting them heavily and turning them into blockbusters worked well for many years, but its R&D productivity has now plummeted and the environment’s changing. There are few trends which are reshaping the marketplace.
Escalating demand for medicines
The global pharmaceutical market is growing steadily, with sales reaching $1.08 trillion in 2011 – a year-on-year increase of 7.8%. The mature economies proved very sluggish, but the growth economies were another matter. Sales in the BRIC countries (Brazil, China, India and Russia) rose by 22.6%, while sales in the other 13 growth countries (the ‘fast followers’, as we call them) rose by 7.2%.9 If this pattern continues, the market for medicines could be worth nearly $1.6 trillion by 2020. 10 Indeed, it could be worth even more. Demand for pharma’s products is rising dramatically, as the global population increases, ages and becomes more sedentary. In 2010, there were an estimated 6.9 billion people. By 2020, there will be more than 7.6 billion.11 And, if present trends are any guide, many of them will have health problems In short, there are more people – and more sick or elderly people – in the world today than ever before. More people have access to affordable healthcare than ever before. And, by 2020, access to healthcare may well be regarded everywhere as a basic human right.
Poor scientific productivity
Take the vexed issue of the industry’s scientific productivity. Although the number of new medicines reaching the market picked up in 2011, pharma’s annual output has effectively flat lined for the past 10 years . Developing new medicines is becoming an increasingly expensive business, too, although precisely how expensive is the subject of fierce debate. In 2006, the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development put average costs per molecule at $1.24-1.32 billion.22 Various commentators have since challenged these figures, claiming that the real cost is anything from $75 million to $4 billion, although most people lean towards the higher end of the range.
So where does the industry now stand? It’s proved remarkably resilient, given the many problems it’s dealing with. But, in essence, it faces two overarching challenges. Tomorrow’s challenge is to develop new medicines that can prevent or cure currently incurable diseases. Today’s challenge is to get to tomorrow – and that’s a tall order in itself. Fortunately, there are a number of steps senior executives can take to help their companies reach 2020 and ready them for the opportunities the next decade brings.
Major Pharmaceutical Associations & Societies in Europe :
We gratefully thank all our wonderful Speakers, Conference Attendees, Students, Media Partners, Associations and Exhibitors for making Pharmaceutica 2016 Conference the best ever!
The 8th International Conference and Exhibition on Pharmaceutics & Novel Drug Delivery Systems, hosted by the Conferenceseries LLC was held during March 07-09, 2016 at Melia Avenida America, Madrid, Spain based on the theme “Challenges and Advances in Novel Drug Delivery Systems“. Benevolent response and active participation was received from the Organizing Committee Members along with Scientists, Researchers, Students and leaders from various fields of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Systems, who made this event a grand success.
Conferenceseries LLC expresses its gratitude to the conference Moderator, namely Dr. Volkmar Weissig for taking up the responsibility to coordinate during the sessions. We are indebted to your support.
Similarly we also extend our appreciation towards our Poster judges namely, Dr. Volkmar Weissig, Dr. Amiram Goldblum, and Dr. B B Barik.
A very special Thanks to our Exhibitors and Sponsors to have bestowed and their faith and invested in us to make this event a fruitful one. We hope you continue your support in our future endeavours.
The conference was initiated with the Honourable presence of the Keynote forum. The list includes:
Volkmar Weissig, Midwestern University, USA
Csilla Keyges, Solvo Biotechnology, Hungary
Felix Kratz, CytRx Corporation, Germany
Amiram Goldblum, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Joel Richard, IPSEN, France
Kang Choon Lee, SungKyunKwan University, Republic of South Korea
Conferenceseries LLC offers its heartfelt appreciation to organizations such as CiMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Ministry of Health, KSA and our esteemed Media Partners (NIA, FIP, PharmaVision, BREC, Bentham Science, The Pharma Review), and other eminent personalities who supported the conference by promoting in various modes online and offline which helped the conference reach every nook and corner of the globe. Conference Series LLC also took privilege to felicitate the Keynote Speakers, Organizing Committee Members, Chairs and Exhibitors who supported this event.
With the grand success of Pharmaceutica 2016, Conference Series LLC is proud to announce the “World Congress on Pharmaceutical Sciences and Innovations in Pharma Industry” to be held during Feb 27- March 1, 2017 at Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Best Poster Awards:
David Veale, Reckitt Benckiser Health Care Ltd., UK
Nataliya Storozhylova, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Shayan F Lahiji, Yonsei University, Republic of South Korea
Anton Aleksashkin, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia
Abdulaziz Al Mahallawi, Cairo University, Egypt
Mohamed Yehia Abouleish, American University of Sharjah, UAE
Ahlam Zaid Alkilani, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Jordan
The Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo 2017 (NPME 2017), an international exhibition on pharmaceutical industry is happening for the 4th time during August 30-31 to 01 September, 2017 at New Haven, Oba Akinjobi Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos NIGERIA. NPME 2017 is hailed as one of the biggest international pharma manufacturing exhibition of the Central & West Africa region attracting more than 150 exhibiting companies and nearly 3,500 pharma trade professionals from across the region including Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Chad, Cameroon, EQ Guinea, Central African Republic, Senegal, The Gambia, Ivory Coast, Niger, Burkina Faso, Benin amongst others. NPME 2017 is being jointly organized by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) and GPE EXPO PVT. LTD. The official media is PHARMA Pro&Pack magazine and official website of NPME 2017 is www.NigeriaPharmaExpo.com.
Largest most exhibitions on pharma manufacturing technologies for Central & West African pharma markets
NPME 2015, an international exhibition will provide an unique platform to showcase Pharma Processing Machineries (Tablet / Capsule / Liquid / Injectables / Ointment / Dry Syrup), Packaging Machineries, Packaging Materials & Consumables, API, Bulk Drugs, Additives, Excipients, Pharma Finished Products, Formulations Lab Reagents, Glassware & Equipments, Analytical, R&D Equipments & Biotech Instruments, Environment Control Eqpts & Services, Utilities Products & Services, Turn-key Contractors, Project Consultants etc.
Brief about the Organizers:
Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN): PMG-MAN is the umbrella body of the local manufacturers of the medicines and healthcare products in Nigeria with over one hundred members having established factories that manufacturing life-saving medicines to support the Healthcare Delivery System. The major target of the PMG-MAN is to realize Government objective of making Nigeria self sufficient in essential medicines through local manufacturing of Drugs. The Group also focuses on the exports drive of locally manufactured quality medicines to the West African region. The pharmaceutical manufacturing sector of Nigeria contributes to nation building with aggregate investments in excess of N300 billion, paying taxes and other tariffs and employing over 600,000 persons. In collaboration with relevant stakeholders, PMG-MAN established the 1st special Exhibition / Expo starting in June 2008 in Abuja, which sensitized and showcased the resources, contributions and breakthrough pharmaceutical products – Proudly Made – in – Nigeria to Nigerian citizenry, policy makers and the international community.
4th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers’ Expo 2017 coming up in August 30-31 & 1 September 2017, is an opportunity for stakeholders in the health sector to exchange information, products, services and ideas towards achieving the Health related Millennium Development Goals and other developmental initiatives in Nigeria and West African region.
GPE EXPO PVT. LTD.: Established in 1997, GPE has attained an international recognition worldwide including, India, Malaysia, Syria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and have become specialized in providing event organizing, planning and consultation services, event marketing & management for country specific international Exhibitions, along with for corporate, associations and individual organizations of pharmaceutical, healthcare, chemical sectors. The core strength is in the logistical details of organizing and executing large events involving multiple players, while integrating diverse services. Based on the experience in the industry, GPE has established an expertise, which enables to produce a top rated event in all areas including decor, food and beverage, entertainment, and timely execution. We pride ourselves on having a professional commitment to each aspect of a client's project.
GPE enjoys the credits of highly successful organization (marketing, management, and execution) of several country specific international exhibitions for pharmaceutical industry, includes; PHARMA Pro&Pack Expo (India), Asia Pharma Expo (Malaysia & Bangladesh), Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers’ Expo (Nigeria), Kenya Pharma Expo (Kenya), Pak Pharma Expo (Pakistan), Nepal Pharma Expo (Nepal), PHARMA Pro&Pack Expo (India) & Global Pharma Expo (India), and many more to emphasize the significance of the local pharma industry on the global platform. GPE is having co-ordeal relationship with various national trade associations of these countries. Besides servicing pharmaceutical industry, GPE has been also associated with Healthcare and Chemical segments, including Association of Surgeons of India, Society of Gastroenterology (India), Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy of India, Association of Colon and Rectum Surgeons of India, Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India, Indian Society of Knee and Hip Surgeons, Association of Physicians of India, Urologist Society of India, etc. For further information, please visit: www.NigeriaPharmaExpo.com or contact at: info@NigeriaPharmaExpo.com
A new year is like an unwritten chapter in a book, waiting to be filled with amazing stories and memorable events. We wish the best to our dear readers, because you are the most important part of our company. We want to continue with our commitment to providing unswerving news and information on the health industry, giving you the quality service you deserve.
Pharmanews wishes you a fabulous and prosperous Year 2017.
According to the Nigeria Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) within the past 15 months a total 273 infections have been recorded and 149 people died from contracting Lassa fever.
“Of these, 165 cases and 89 deaths have been confirmed through laboratory testing,” the NCDC said.It is case fatality ratio of 53.9%, meaning 54 in 100 people who contracted the disease died.
According to the NCDC the latest death from Lassa fever was a female nurse at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, who died “before the laboratory result revealed she was positive for Lassa. “This case highlights the risk Lassa fever still poses to the lives of Nigerians, particularly at this time of the year,” it said.
“Although this case has attracted media attention, especially given the involvement of a healthcare worker, in reality it is not unique as there has been a trickle of cases from many states in Nigeria, throughout the year.”
Response
The federal health ministry has since directed NCDC to prevent a recurrence of the scale of outbreak recorded last year, and set up a Lassa fever Eradication Committee headed by epidemiologist Prof Oyewale Tomori.
NCDC has developed guidelines to strengthen states, making them able to “prevent, detect and respond to Lassa while the NCDC coordinates these efforts.”
It distributed guidelines describing necessary actions to be taken and posted the guidelines document on its website http://www.ncdc.gov.ng/diseases/guidelines.
“These guidelines describe systems, activities, and resources at National, State and Local Government Area levels required to respond to suspected cases of Lassa fever,” the centre explained.
“It builds on lessons from previous outbreaks. A copy of the guidelines was also sent to all State Ministries of Health across the country.”
It has also mapped all states based on their risk of Lassa fever.
And teams from the centre have travelled to distribute prevention and response materials and medicines to every state.
“The prepositioning of commodities has now ensured that all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria has a full complement of emergency materials comprising of personal protection equipment, Ribavirin, disinfection sprayers, hand sanitizers, hypochlorite (bleach), case definition posters, hard copies of technical guidelines and safety boxes,” it said.
Albasar International Foundation in collaboration with the Niger State Government conducted a FREE EYE SURGERY for Nigerlites battling with various eye defects. About 400 persons benefited from the eye programme at IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna from 19th to 24th of December, 2016.
According to Dr. Mustapha Jibril a representative of the state Governor, the free eye surgery was based on Government's effort to curtail preventable blindness as well succour to the less privileged. Dr. Jibril explained that, the Governor Abubakar Sani Bello's led administration resolved on masses-inclined initiatives, policies and interventions will not be compromised nor substituted for any reason.
Mallam Isa Wara a beneficiary of the programme from Ingaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State disclosed that, he has been suffering eye defect for years adding that he didn’t pay a Kobo, and every process of the surgery done for him was for free. Mallam Isa prayed to Almighty Allah to protect and guide Governor Sani Bello’s adminregain his vision.
Albasar International Foundation is an eye healthcare not for profit organisation committed to the prevention of avoidable blindness amongst the less privilege. The foundation is also dedicated to providing people with vision problems an opportunity to regain their sight.
In what would be tagged the first of its kind is a campaign against rape held by the Institute of Nursing Research (INR-FCNSWZ), Nigeria in Ekiti state earlier November this year.
The programme tagged “THE MENACE OF RAPE: THE PROFESSIONALS’ PERSPECTIVES” was held at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital School of Nursing Auditorium on 9th November, 2016.
The campaign was flagged off with a rally on the streets of Ado-Ekiti with songs and placards that revealed utmost displeasure against this hydra-headed monster – Rape! This was followed by a training on the prevention and management of rape.
The communiqué issued by the Institute of Nursing Research (INR-FCNSWZN) after the programme states:
Rape is dehumanizing and all hands must be on deck to war against this ugly trend.
To the Parents: Parents should feel free to give sex education to their children as this will go a long way in teaching these ones ways to prevent them from being victims. If parents will not take up this role, the children will be taught the wrong things by their friends.
The parents should also be very close to their children so that they can be free to open up on any of their experiences.
To the children: They should not trust anybody! They should not be found in dangerous situations alone.
To nurses and other health professionals: They should all arise to war against all forms of sexual harassment. Much research should be done on this issue and appropriate interventions should be carried out from their discoveries.
To the religions organizations: They cannot afford to be silent about this trend that has eaten very deep into the fabrics of the society.
To the law enforcement agents: They should make sure any offender is made to face the wrath of the law.
To the Government: They should support non-governmental organizations in their efforts to wage war against rape.
Institute of Nursing Research can be of help and has constituted a team of professionals to attend to rape issues. Any victim that needs anyone to talk to or any form of assistance can call or chat with any of these numbers: 08037811768, 07033301600 or through email:inrfcnswzone@gmail.com
Nurses and other healthcare workers at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Dala Kano today embarked on indefinite strike action. The strike is sequel to the 5 days warning strike that was embarked upon about two weeks ago. This action was taken to protest over the non payment of their three months salary.
According to the PRO of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses And Midwives Mr Attah James, the hospital management was yet to meet their demands but rather has seen fit to resort to the blatant intimidation of staff of the hospital. He called on the federal government and relevant bodies to speed up actions to pay the 3months arrears as this have brought untold hardship on their members. He affirmed that the indefinite strike action embarked upon will be suspended once they get paid their rightful dues for the 3months arrears.
Glaucoma is an irreversible progressive disease of the eye characterised by abnormally high intraocular pressure (IOP) which causes damage to the optic nerves (the light sensitive and signal transmitting tissues of the eye) and can eventually lead to partial or complete blindness.
Glaucoma diagnosis and the prevention of the disease progression depend heavily on the accuracy of intraocular pressure measurements. Normal IOP is in the range of 10-21 mmHg but in glaucoma patients, IOP increases above the normal range because of increased resistance to the fluid flow in the drainage pathway.
IOP fluctuations above the normal limit represent a significant risk factor in the progression of glaucoma. Thus, frequent/continuous data collection (IOP measurements) may impact glaucoma treatment similar to the Impact of home glucose monitoring on the management of diabetes.
Current methods for glaucoma diagnosis and monitoring are usually limited to single snapshots in time, taken at a visit to the eye doctor during daytime, when pressure tends to be at its lowest. But glaucoma specialists believe that one of the main contributors to disease progression is frequent changes in pressure over the course of a day, or high peaks during the night–something that, in the most serious cases, requires frequent measurement during an overnight hospitalisation.
Current trends
The advances in polymer synthesis, electronics and micro/nanofabrication, have led to the development of contact lenses with diagnostic capabilities one of which is its application in a clinical or point-of-care setting to monitor intraocular pressure continuously.
Contact lens embedded with a wireless pressure nanosensor for the real-time measurement/monitoring of intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients will make it possible to arrest the disease progression early so that the patient does not lose much vision. The ability to pair the sensor with mobile medical applications may allow real-time data logging and transfer to clinicians for efficient diagnosis.
This is made possible by a microprocessor in the contact lens which sends signals proportional to changes in the IOP to a wireless readout device attached to the user’s waist, which also wirelessly powers the contact lens. Data from wearable devices can be used by physicians to prescribe personalised medicines (PM) that will improve drug efficacy manifold.
It is noteworthy to consider the growing acceptability of contact lens due to their ease of use, aesthetics, and convenience, shelf life, wear schedule and cleaning which is a vital factor for consumer acceptance. Today contact lenses are worn for vision correction, therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. However, the contact lens market has already established norms and standards, and therefore this expertise can be leveraged and applied to the development and promotion of the device. It is recommended that the regulatory requirements be incorporated into the product design to accelerate commercialisation of the product. Obtaining a 510k approval for the device will take up to 12 months after clinical trials. It is worth mentioning, that the FDA has classified similar diagnostic contact lens sensors such as those made of PMMA as Class II medical device.
Market size and projections
A simple model developed by the WHO to estimate the extent of glaucoma on a regional basis, taking into account demographic data, e.g., age distribution, gender and ethnic groups, demonstrates that glaucoma is responsible for approximately 5.2 million blind (15 per cent of the total burden of world blindness).
Glaucoma accounts for over 10 million visits to physicians each year in the US. In terms of Social Security benefits, lost income tax revenues, and health care expenditures, the cost to the U.S. government is estimated to be over $1.5 billion annually. Population above the age of 40 years is more prone for this disease due to malfunctioning of various eye structures.
In addition, strong reimbursement policies in various nations for the treatment of this disease would also enhance the growth of this market. Estimates by market scope a research and consulting firm shows that the global glaucoma and ocular hypertensive populations was 125.5 million in 2015, and the number is expected to grow to 141.6 million by 2020.
The geographic scale of this venture is global. According to a research report published by Market and Markets, the global ophthalmology devices market is projected to reach USD 58.05 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 3.7 per cent from 2016 to 2021. However, the global contact lenses market is expected to be valued at US$13.47 billion by the end of 2019. It was recorded at US$6.81 billion in 2012. This growth rate is sustained by prime drivers that include advancements in therapeutic properties of lenses while making large strides in aesthetics and cosmetics.
However, North America is the largest market for ophthalmology drugs and devices, accounting for over 42 per cent of the market, followed by Europe and Asia. The large share of this region can be attributed to high healthcare expenditure, higher awareness and uptake of ophthalmology treatments and surgeries, and availability of advanced ophthalmology diagnostics and monitoring devices in the country.
Sub-sectors
The sub-sectors in the industry engaged in this endeavour include semiconductor companies with active expertise in the miniaturisation of electronics to complement pharmaceutical and medical device companies for continuous product development and most importantly, ophthalmic clinics which will help in clinical development, supply chain and patient engagements.
Another interesting opportunity is the deployment of IOT architecture where the real-time data feeds from the wearable device can be transmitted to cloud systems. This data can be shared with ophthalmologists and healthcare providers for improve monitoring and disease management. Device efficacy data and health information received can also be ploughed back to R&D systems which can be used in pharmacovigilance to curb adverse event cases and improve regulatory compliance.
References:
Nicholas M. Farandos, Ali K. Yetisen, Michael J. Monteiro, Christopher R. Lowe, Seok Hyun Yun (2015) Contact Lens Sensors in Ocular Diagnostics. Adv. Healthcare Mater.2015, 4, 792–810
Since early 2011, social media rumours have asserted plastic rice was being manufactured in China, exported, and consumed by people in other countries unaware the rice they were eating was in fact not a food at all. The rice in question is China’s Wuchang rice. The rice is very popular in china and is is famous for its smell, and it costs more for its quality (almost double the price), according to Blue Ocean Network (BON) TV report, a popular English Channel in China.
The fake rice is made by mixing a small amount of real Wuchang rice with potatoes, sweet potatoes and plastic. The potatoes are first formed into the shape of rice grains. Industrial synthetic resins are then added to the mix and then sprayed with a fragrance to replicate the original rice smell. The rice reportedly stays hard even after being cooked. According to one online publication Very Vietnam … “A Chinese Restaurant Association official said that eating three bowls of this fake rice would be like eating one plastic bag. It was also reported that annually 800,000 tons of real Wuchang rice is produced, yet 10 million tons of “Wuchang” rice is sold – whether plastic or another type of rice; more than 9 million tons of it is fake.
Nigeria has confiscated 2.5 tonnes of “plastic rice” smuggled into the country by unscrupulous businessmen, the customs service says … Lagos customs chief Haruna Mamudu said the fake rice was intended to be sold in markets during the festive season.
The BBC's Peter Okwoche says it is the only foodstuff that crosses cultural and ethnic lines across the country. Whoever made this fake rice did an exceptionally good job – on first impression it would have fooled me. When I ran the grains through my fingers nothing felt out of the ordinary … But when I smelt a handful of the “rice” there was a faint chemical odour. Customs officials say when they cooked up the rice it was too sticky – and it was then abundantly clear this was no ordinary batch.
They've sent a sample to the laboratories to determine exactly what the “rice” is made of.
They are also warning the public not to consume the mystery foodstuff as it could be dangerous. Fake food scandals are thankfully rare in Nigeria when you compare it to countries such as China. However, there is no evidence that plastic rice was being circulated in Nigeria.
Health risks:
As you would expect, consuming this “plastic rice” is extremely harmful and toxic to one's health, and is causing quite an uproar.
A chemical that disrupts biological processes in female mosquitoes may be just as effective as insecticides in reducing the spread of malaria, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“As insecticide resistance is spreading, new intervention methods to control mosquitoes are urgently needed,” said Flaminia Catteruccia, associate professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard Chan School and co-senior author of the study. “Our study provides a new strategy based on the use of a non-toxic compound that prevents transmission of malaria parasites without killing the mosquito.”
Malaria kills about 500,000 people every year. People can become infected when bitten by mosquitoes carrying the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Typical strategies to prevent transmission involve the use of insecticide-treated bed nets and insecticide spraying, but Anopheles mosquitoes—the type that transmits P. falciparum parasites—are rapidly becoming resistant to insecticides.
In the new study, researchers treated Anopheles female mosquitoes with a synthetic chemical called DBH (dibenzoylhydrazine) to see how it would impact their biological processes. DBH mimics the action of the steroid hormone “20E” (20-hydroxyecdysone), which plays a key role in the reproductive cycle of the female mosquito.
Various aspects of the mosquitoes’ life cycle were disrupted after treatment with DBH, the researchers found. The females produced and laid fewer eggs; they didn’t mate successfully; and they died more rapidly than non-treated mosquitoes. The effects were greater the higher the DBH dose. DBH-treated mosquitoes were also less likely to be infected by malaria parasites.
Using DBH in either bed nets or in sprays was equally effective, the researchers found. They also noted that DBH compounds are not toxic to mammals, which would make them ideally suited for use in bed nets, where low toxicity is essential.
“The study demonstrates the importance of basic research on mosquito biology for developing new tools against malaria,” said Caroline Buckee, co-senior author and assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvard Chan School.
Co-lead authors of the study were Harvard Chan School researchers Lauren Childs, Francisco Cai, and Evdoxia Kakani. Other Harvard Chan authors included Sara Mitchell, Doug Paton, and Paolo Gabrieli.
The study was partially supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Grant ID: OPP1140143).
Pharmaceutical giant, May & Baker Nigeria Plc has announced the promotion of three senior management officers to the position of Executive Directors. The new members on the Board of Directors of the company are Valentine Okelu, Executive Director, Foods Division, Chukuka Chukutem, Executive Director, Pharma Sales and Marketing and Ayodeji Aboderin, Executive Director, Finance.
While the appointment of Okelu and Chukutem take immediate effect, that of Aboderin will be effective in March 2017.Chukutem was Head, Pharma Sales and Marketing before his elevation. He first joined the company in 1994 and was promoted as National Key Accounts Manager.
A graduate of Pharmacy from the University of Benin, he holds an MBA degree, is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School (Nigeria) and Haggai Leadership Institute (USA). Prior to his elevation, Okelu was the Head, Foods Division of the company. He joined May & Baker in 1996 as a Medical Representative.
He graduated with distinction from the University of Nigeria Nsukka. He also holds a Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) degree in Pharmacology & Toxicology from the same university. Sales and Marketing and Ayodeji Aboderin, Executive Director, Finance.
While the appointment of Okelu and Chukutem take immediate effect, that of Aboderin will be effective in March 2017.Chukutem was Head, Pharma Sales and Marketing before his elevation. He first joined the company in 1994 and was promoted as National Key Accounts Manager.
A graduate of Pharmacy from the University of Benin, he holds an MBA degree, is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School (Nigeria) and Haggai Leadership Institute (USA).
Prior to his elevation, Okelu was the Head, Foods Division of the company. He joined May & Baker in 1996 as a Medical Representative.
He graduated with distinction from the University of Nigeria Nsukka. He also holds a Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) degree in Pharmacology & Toxicology from the same university.
An experimental Ebola vaccine was highly protective against the deadly virus in a major trial in Guinea, according to results published today in The Lancet. The vaccine is the first to prevent infection from one of the most lethal known pathogens, and the findings add weight to early trial results published last year.
The vaccine, called rVSV-ZEBOV, was studied in a trial involving 11 841 people in Guinea during 2015. Among the 5837 people who received the vaccine, no Ebola cases were recorded 10 days or more after vaccination. In comparison, there were 23 cases 10 days or more after vaccination among those who did not receive the vaccine.
The trial was led by WHO, together with Guinea’s Ministry of Health, Medecins sans Frontieres and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, in collaboration with other international partners.
“While these compelling results come too late for those who lost their lives during West Africa's Ebola epidemic, they show that when the next Ebola outbreak hits, we will not be defenceless,” said Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation, and the study’s lead author.
The vaccine's manufacturer, Merck, Sharpe & Dohme, this year received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration and PRIME status from the European Medicines Agency, enabling faster regulatory review of the vaccine once it is submitted.
Since Ebola virus was first identified in 1976, sporadic outbreaks have been reported in Africa. But the 2013–2016 West African Ebola outbreak, which resulted in more than 11 300 deaths, highlighted the need for a vaccine.
The trial took place in the coastal region of Basse-Guinée, the area of Guinea still experiencing new Ebola cases when the trial started in 2015. The trial used an innovative design, a so-called “ring vaccination” approach – the same method used to eradicate small pox.
When a new Ebola case was diagnosed, the research team traced all people who may have been in contact with that case within the previous 3 weeks, such as people who lived in the same household, were visited by the patient, or were in close contact with the patient, their clothes or linen, as well as certain “contacts of contacts”. A total of 117 clusters (or “rings”) were identified, each made up of an average of 80 people.
Initially, rings were randomised to receive the vaccine either immediately or after a 3-week delay, and only adults over 18 years were offered the vaccine. After interim results were published showing the vaccine’s efficacy, all rings were offered the vaccine immediately and the trial was also opened to children older than 6 years.
In addition to showing high efficacy among those vaccinated, the trial also shows that unvaccinated people in the rings were indirectly protected from Ebola virus through the ring vaccination approach (so called “herd immunity”). However, the authors note that the trial was not designed to measure this effect, so more research will be needed.
“Ebola left a devastating legacy in our country. We are proud that we have been able to contribute to developing a vaccine that will prevent other nations from enduring what we endured,” said Dr KeÏta Sakoba, Coordinator of the Ebola Response and Director of the National Agency for Health Security in Guinea.
To assess safety, people who received the vaccine were observed for 30 minutes after vaccination, and at repeated home visits up to 12 weeks later. Approximately half reported mild symptoms soon after vaccination, including headache, fatigue and muscle pain but recovered within days without long-term effects. Two serious adverse events were judged to be related to vaccination (a febrile reaction and one anaphylaxis) and one was judged to be possibly related (influenza-like illness). All three recovered without any long term effects.
It was not possible to collect biological samples from people who received the vaccine in order to analyse their immune response. Other studies are looking at the immune response to the vaccine including one conducted in parallel to the ring trial among frontline Ebola workers in Guinea.
“This both historical and innovative trial was made possible thanks to exemplary international collaboration and coordination, the contribution of many experts worldwide, and strong local involvement,” said Dr John-Arne Røttingen, specialist director at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and the chairman of the study steering group.
In January, GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance provided US$5 million to Merck towards the future procurement of the vaccine once it is approved, prequalified and recommended by WHO. As part of this agreement, Merck committed to ensure that 300 000 doses of the vaccine are available for emergency use in the interim, and to submit the vaccine for licensure by the end of 2017. Merck has also submitted the vaccine to WHO’s Emergency Use and Assessment Listing procedure, a mechanism through which experimental vaccines, medicines and diagnostics can be made available for use prior to formal licensure.
Additional studies are ongoing to provide more data on the safety of the vaccine in children and other vulnerable populations such as people with HIV. In case of Ebola flare-ups prior to approval, access to the vaccine is being made available through a procedure called “compassionate use” that enables use of the vaccine after informed consent. Merck and WHO’s partners are working to compile data to support license applications.
The rapid development of rVSV-EBOV contributed to the development of WHO’s R&D Blueprint, a global strategy to fast-track the development of effective tests, vaccines and medicines during epidemics.
rVSV-ZEBOV was developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The vaccine was licensed to NewLink Genetics, who in turn licensed it to Merck & Co. The vaccine works by replacing a gene from a harmless virus known as vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) with a gene encoding an Ebola virus surface protein. The vaccine does not contain any live Ebola virus. Earlier trials have shown the vaccine to be protective in animals, and be safe and produce an immune response in humans.
Analysis only included cases occurring 10 days after receiving the vaccine to account for the incubation period of the Ebola virus.
The management and staff of Pharmanews Limited wish you and your family the best of the Christmas season and the new year 2017. We assure you of improved services next year. Have a merry Xmas and a prosperous new year in advance.
According to Mr Nnamdi Okafor, Nigerians should prepare for scarsity of essential drugs in 2017. Mr Okafor, the managing director of May and Baker Plc spoke at his office on tuesday also lamented the though situation many local drug manufacturers are going through, warned that if the forex scarcity continues, many pharmaceutical companies will shut down inthe first quarter of next year. According to him many of them have been unable to source for foreign exchange needed to import raw materials needed for production in the last 6 months.
Local drug manufacturers have lost credit facilities from their international suppliers for their business, “nobody is willing to give us raw materials except we pay for them in cash.” The manufacturing business in Nigeria is import dependent and drug manufacturers are not getting any special allocation for forex. Okafor also stated that while May and Baker recorded 13per cent growth in revenue in 2016, the company's cost of production has gone up by 50 per cent.
Activities at the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, on Tuesday were paralysed as medical personnel and patients deserted the hospital after Lassa Fever claimed two lives in the hospital.
The victims were an assistant nursing officer, Abolanle Adesuyi and a serving corps member, whose identity could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.
The resurgence of the viral disease known as Lassa Hemorrhagic fever came barely four months after the state government declared the state Lassa fever free.
The late corps member was said to be a patient who had been down with the viral disease and had been admitted into the FMC, Abeokuta.
Adesuyi was said to have attended to the corps member, from whom she contacted the virus.
Apparently startled by the death of the two, the hospital management carried out a test at the University College Hospital, Ibadan to determine the cause of death.
The result received on Tuesday confirmed that the victims died of Lassa Fever.
Many medical personnel in the department deserted the place immediately the news of the cause of the death of the the assistant nursing officer was received at the hospital.
Some patients in the hospital, were also said to have pleaded to be discharged.
A doctor and a nurse were reportedly being monitored currently at the intensive care unit of the hospital over the virus.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Segun Orisajo, confirmed that the FMC, Abeokuta, lost an assistant chief nursing officer, Bolanle Adesuyi to the virus.
He said when the virus broke out in the hospital, the hospital management placed Adesuyi and two other members of staff under surveillance.
He said, “Officers of the state Ministry of Health have embarked on a contact tracing exercise to ascertain the number of people that could have also contacted the disease.
For many, the holidays are indeed the most wonderful time of the year.
Families and friends come together and enjoy food, good cheer – and, often, alcohol.
Commercially speaking, alcohol and the holidays seem to be made for each other. Alcohol can be a quick and easy way to get into the spirit of celebration.
And, it feels good. After two glasses of wine, the brain is activated through complex neurobiochemical processes that naturally release dopamine, a neurotransmitter of great importance.
When the dopamine molecule locks on to its receptor located on the surface of a neuron, or basic brain cell, a ‘buzz' occurs.
It is often desirably anticipated before the second glass is empty.
There are those, however, who drink right past the buzz into intoxication and, often, into trouble.
For them, the brain starts releasing the same enjoyable dopamine, no different than what happens in the casual drinker's, but it doesn't stop there.
A compulsion to binge drink can result.
As someone who has studied alcohol use disorder for over 15 years and who has treated thousands of patients who have it, I think it's a major, yet often poorly understood, public health problem.
Our culture seems to be moving beyond the point of labeling those with opioid addictions as ‘weak,' and I hope we can do the same for those with alcohol use disorder, too, which is more widespread than people may appreciate.
Excessive drinking accounted for one in 10 deaths among working-age adults in the United States.
Although alcohol can feel as though it is relieving stress, it contributes to 88,000 deaths in the United States each year.
That is more than double the number of people killed by heroin and opioid prescription drug overdose, another major public health crisis, in 2014.
In addition, more than 66.7 million Americans reported binge drinking in the past month in 2015, according to the recent report on addiction by the surgeon general.
The consequences to the individual and the family are staggering, affecting physical and mental health, an increased spread of infectious disease, reduced quality of life, increased motor vehicle crashes and abuse and neglect of children, to mention a few.
Scientific study of the brain has helped explain binge drinking even if it may be hard for family and friends to understand.
It's defined as drinking five or more drinks for men and four for women on the same occasion on at least one day in the past 30 days.
As the yuletide usually falls during the winter, it’s a time people go on holidays and picnics, and merriment at its peak. While many may seize the period to add some flesh, a seasoned physiologist has advised folks to use the time to burn off some calories, which are capable of blocking the blood vessels from working effectively.
Another reason forwarded by the expert for exercising is immediate drop in blood pressure after exercising, which he identified as a good signal.
According to the report published on Daily Mail Online, Prof. William Farquhar noted that whether you go for a daily run or brisk walk, every time you finish exercising your blood pressure goes down, and stays down for many hours, which is good for your overall health.
High blood pressure values during exercise are offset by the many low values recorded after exercise, to the benefit of the body.
Why worry about blood pressure? Simply put, high blood pressure (i.e., hypertension) kills.
It is estimated that hypertension is a primary or contributing cause of death of more than 400,000 Americans annually. Estimates suggest that one billion people worldwide have hypertension
The immediate past president of PSN, Pharm Olumide Akintayo, and the PSN National Secretary General, Pharm. Gbolagade Iyiola, have thrown their weight behind the activities of the Young Pharmacists Group, Nigeria (NPG-NG).
The duo, who expressed their absolute support for the greenhorns at two different occasions, revealed how they have been impressed by the plans of the group to take young pharmacists to the next level.
The YPG-NG, led by the President, Pharm Onimisi Peter Benjamin, shared with Pharm. Akintayo their intentions and aspirations for young pharmacists in the next one year. They were able to review with him their various programs geared toward building an active, proactive and productive YPG-NG.
They told him of their plans to boost young pharmacists’ participation at national and international conferences like PSN conference, capacity building for YPs, mentorship programs for young Pharmacists and by young Pharmacists, health outreaches and robust commemoration of global health days with the aim of improving professional image and impacting the general public. Many more YPs centered projects and interests were discussed.
Pharm. Akintayo, expressed his gratitude for the visit and promised to do everything within his power to ensure that Nigerian Young Pharmacists get the necessary support.
In his words, you have made my day today and I am happy that for the first time I am seeing a YPG-NG leadership that has a clear cut vision for Young Pharmacists and Pharmacy, you have proven today that you are ready and willing, and I can assure you that you have my full support.
In a similar visitation to Pharm. Iyiola, he expressed his delight to the leadership of YPG-NG, while assuring them that they are strongly behind them. “My office is opened to you anytime, just continue with the way you people have started and the sky shall be your starting point”.
Aside the President of YPG-NG, the team also included YPG-NG PRO, Pharm Rashidat Folashade Elesho, and South West Cordinator of YPG-NG Pharm Adepoju Kehinde Philips
The Government of Malawi and UNICEF have announced the establishment of an air corridor to test potential humanitarian use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) – also known as drones.
The corridor is the first in Africa and one of the first globally with a focus on humanitarian and development use. It will run for a maximum distance of 40 km and become fully operational by April 2017. The corridor is designed to provide a controlled platform for the private sector, universities, and other partners to explore how UAS can be used to help deliver services that will benefit communities.
“Malawi has over the past years faced serious droughts and flooding,” Malawi’s Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jappie Mhango said. “The launch of the UAS testing corridor is particularly important to support transportation and data collection where land transport infrastructure is either not feasible or difficult during emergencies.”
The Humanitarian UAS Testing Corridor will facilitate testing in three main areas:
• Imagery – generating and analyzing aerial images for development and during humanitarian crises, including for situation monitoring in floods and earthquakes
• Connectivity – exploring the possibility for UAS to extend Wi-Fi or cellphone signals across difficult terrain, particularly in emergency settings
• Transport – delivery of small low weight supplies such as emergency medical supplies, vaccines and samples for laboratory diagnosis, including for HIV testing.
UAS technology is still in the early stages of development. UNICEF is working globally with a number of governments and private sector partners to explore how UAS can be used in low income countries. All projects adhere to a strict set of innovation principles, with a focus on open source and user-centered design.
“The establishment of the testing corridor means there is now a place where we can explore the potential of UAS in the development and humanitarian space,” said Cynthia McCaffrey, Director of UNICEF’s Office of Innovation. “This programme allows UNICEF to adapt to rapid developments in UAS technology and potentially integrate UAS into our work for children.”
The launch of the UAS testing corridor follows a pilot project in March 2016 on the feasibility of using UAS for the transportation of dried blood samples for early infant diagnosis of HIV. The feasibility study conducted earlier this year showed that UAS are a viable addition to existing transport systems including those used to help with the diagnosis of HIV.
UNICEF will be finalizing agreements with applicant companies and institutions in the coming months. The Government of Malawi and UNICEF will also identify potential UAS operators that can function in the case of disasters in the region and put in place stand-by agreements to ensure a rapid emergency response.
The Testing Corridor
The air corridor details were determined in consultation with the Malawi Department of Civil Aviation and in line with the government’s new regulatory framework. Specifications include:
Maximum distance of 40km (to efficiently test transport drones)
Altitude limit at 500 metres above ground
The UAS corridor will run for 1-2 years.
All UAS projects tested in the corridor will have to abide by the UNICEF innovation principles – meaning open source, open data, sharable, designed for scale.
Companies and individuals can register their interest in using the testing corridor by completing an online form here: http://bit.ly/2hh9MOT
On 12 March 2016, children in Malawi look on amazed in the community demonstration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones) flying in Lilongwe. The Ministry of Health and UNICEF launched the first 10km auto programmed flight in a trial to speed up the testing and diagnosis of HIV in infants. Malawi has a national HIV prevalence rate of 10% – still one of the highest in the world. An estimated 1 million Malawians were living with HIV in 2013 and 48,000 died from HIV-related illnesses in the same year. Whilst progress has been made, and today 90% of pregnant women know their HIV status, there is still a drop off with testing and treating babies and children. In 2014, around 10,000 children in Malawi died from HIV-related diseases and less than half of all children were on treatment. Samples are currently transported by road, either by motorbike or local authority ambulances. Various factors including the high cost of diesel fuel, poor state of roads and limited distribution schedules have resulted in extreme delays in lab sample transport, constituting a significant impediment for the scaling up of paediatric ARTs effectiveness. In March 2016, the Government of Malawi and UNICEF have started testing the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones) to explore cost effective ways of reducing waiting times for HIV testing of infants. The test, which is using simulated samples, will have the potential to cut waiting times dramatically, and if successful will be integrated into the health system alongside others mechanisms such as road transport and SMS. The first successful test flight completed the 10km route unhindered travelling from a community health centre to the Kamuzu Central Hospital laboratory. Local residents gathered in amazement as the vehicle took off and flew away in the direction of the hospital. The test flights which are assessing viability including cost and safety, will continue until Friday 18th March.
Statement by Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director, on the situation of children in Nigeria
“The violent conflict in northeast Nigeria has left children severely malnourished and at risk of death.”
“In the three worst-affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, farming has been disrupted and crops destroyed, food reserves depleted and often pillaged, and livestock killed or abandoned.
“In Borno, where the fighting has been most brutal, 75 per cent of the water and sanitation infrastructure and 30 per cent of all health facilities have been either destroyed, looted or damaged.
“The impact on children is devastating.
On 7th November 2016, children attend a class at a primary school in Muna Garage IDP camp, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. There are nearly 2,000 children enrolled at the UNICEF supported – in partnership with the government – school in the camp. With the assistance of UNICEF and partners, over 88,000 children have access to safe learning spaces in north-east Nigeria and almost 155,000 children have been reached with learning materials.
“We estimate that 400,000 children will suffer from severe acute malnutrition over the next year in the three affected states. If they do not receive the treatment they need, 1 in 5 of these children will die. Cases of diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia are on the rise, further endangering children’s lives.
“These figures represent only a fraction of the suffering. Large areas of Borno state are completely inaccessible to any kind of humanitarian assistance. We are extremely concerned about the children trapped in these areas.
“We are making a difference in the areas we can reach. With the World Food Programme and other partners, we are treating acutely malnourished children. We are vaccinating children against measles and polio. We are providing safe water and sanitation services.
On 17th November 2016, UNICEF Nutrition Officer, Aishat Abdullahi, assesses 7 month old Umara Bukar for malnutrition at a UNICEF supported health clinic at Muna Garage IDP camp, Maiduguri, Borno State, northeast Nigeria as Umara’s mother (in black) looks on. 20 days ago Umara weighed just 4.2kg when he first arrived at the health clinic run in partnership with the Nigerian government. He now weighs 5.1kg. To date, over 117,00 children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in northeast Nigeria have been admitted to therapeutic feeding programmes run by UNICEF and partners.
“But this is nowhere close to enough.
“Without adequate resources and without safe access, we and our partners will be unable to reach children whose lives are at imminent risk.
“What is already a crisis can become a catastrophe.”
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About UNICEF UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org
It was merriment galore for all Lady Pharmacists in Lagos on Thursday, December 15, 2016 as they gathered at the Conference Hall of the Neuro-Psychiaric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos for the 2016 ALPS Forum.
Some Alpians digging it out at the forum.
The event, held under the chairmanship of Dr Ogori Taylor, was organised for thanksgiving and service appreciation of the members, featured different interesting segments, aside the tantalizing dinning, dancing and winning, meant for Alpians to unwind.
The Chairman, Pharm.(Mrs) Dupe Ologunagba, in her address, expressed her gratitude to the almighty God for sustaining all members of the association from January to December, despite the economic challenges
SMS for Life 2.0 launches for the first time in Kaduna State, Nigeria’s third most populous region, in collaboration with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health
Program uses smartphones and tablet computers to improve access to medicines and increase disease surveillance, helping to provide better care for patients
Initiative builds on the success of award-winning SMS for Life and will introduce eLearning for local healthcare workers
Novartis announced today the launch of an innovative technology-based healthcare program called SMS for Life 2.0 in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The program aims to increase the availability of essential medicines and improve care for patients across the region by using simple, available, and affordable technology. SMS for Life 2.0 is a joint public-private partnership led by Novartis and supported by its partners, the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and Vodacom.
“Novartis is proud to partner with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health to implement the first ever SMS for Life 2.0 program,” said Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis. “Companies must join forces with the public sector to co-create innovative solutions to improve access to healthcare around the world. This is the first step in what we hope will be an impactful public health initiative, unleashing the potential of mobile technology and big data to increase the quality of care for underserved patients.”
SMS for Life 2.0 builds on the SMS for Life program launched by Novartis in 2009, which used cell phones to manage stock-outs of malaria medicines in more than 10,000 healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan countries. The new and enhanced SMS for Life 2.0 program will now use smartphones and tablet computers to address key operational challenges at peripheral healthcare facilities in Kaduna State. Local healthcare workers will be able to track stock levels of essential antimalarials, vaccines, and HIV, TB and leprosy treatments, and send notifications to district medical officers when stock levels are low. The program will also monitor surveillance parameters of malaria, maternal and infant deaths and seven other diseases, including measles, yellow fever and cholera. In addition, SMS for Life 2.0 will enable training of healthcare workers in local facilities using on-demand eLearning modules.
“We welcome the introduction of SMS for Life 2.0 in primary healthcare facilities, where we often face stockouts of medicines,” said Dr. Hadiza S. Balarabe, Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency. “With more than six million people, Kaduna is Nigeria’s third most populous state. We hope the program will improve healthcare services by expanding access to essential medicines, thus reducing disease prevalence in communities.”
Medicines do not always reach the patients who need them, particularly those living in remote areas. Running out of stock is a major hurdle in ensuring access to essential treatments. By increasing stock visibility, health authorities will be able to monitor stock levels of these medicines in real time. Furthermore, disease surveillance data combined with the stock reporting function can improve supply chain management, by allowing authorities to better forecast demand for the treatments. This will help to ensure people get the medicines they need in a timely fashion.
“Vodacom believes that mobile technology is a powerful platform to address healthcare problems in Africa,” said Vuyani Jarana, Chief Officer of Vodacom Business. “Our vision in partnering with Kaduna State is to support the development of productive societies which are healthy, well-educated and economically active. The SMS for Life 2.0 initiative will contribute towards better quality and more accessible healthcare services which will in turn contribute to an increase in life expectancy in Nigeria.”
In addition to the launch in Nigeria, Novartis and its non-profit partner Right to Care, have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Zambian Ministry of Health to deploy SMS for Life 2.0 in up to 2,000 health facilities across the country. The program, which will include stock reporting, disease surveillance and eLearning, will be supported by Vodacom and is expected to launch in Q2 2017.
About SMS for Life 2.0
SMS for Life is a Roll Back Malaria Partnership initiative, led by Novartis, with the purpose of developing and helping countries implement new innovative solutions to the long-standing problem of medicine stock-outs at the remote health facility level in order to significantly improve patient access to healthcare commodities in developing countries.
The program was launched in 2009 by the Novartis Malaria Initiative to manage stock-outs of malaria medicines in sub-Saharan countries. A new enhanced version of this award-winning program, called SMS for Life 2.0, now uses smartphones and tablet computers.
The program allows public healthcare facilities to monitor stock levels of essential medicines such as antimalarials, HIV treatments, and vaccines. Further, it can and will be extended to treatments against noncommunicable diseases. The system sends notifications to district medical officers responsible for treatment availability when stock levels are low, helping to avoid stock-outs. Tablet computers also allow for disease monitoring by supporting data collection of basic disease parameters in line with a country’s needs. They can also be used to deliver high-quality training to healthcare workers by making eLearning modules available on demand.
About the Novartis Malaria Initiative
The Novartis Malaria Initiative is committed to drive research, development and access to novel drugs to eliminate malaria. It is one of the pharmaceutical industry’s largest access-to-medicine programs. Since 2001, the initiative has delivered more than 800 million treatments without profit, including over 300 million dispersible pediatric treatments, mostly to the public sector of malaria-endemic countries.
Novartis has a long heritage in antimalarial drug development. Coartem®, the first fixed-dose Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT), was launched in 1999. ACTs are the current standard of care in malaria treatment. Currently, Novartis leads two of the four most advanced malaria development programs worldwide, with two potential antimalarial therapies in Phase II clinical trials (KAF156 and KAE609). Both are new classes of compounds that treat malaria in different ways from current therapies, and could help combat growing resistance to existing artemisinin-based combination therapies.
The Novartis Malaria Initiative is integrated in Novartis Social Business, a unit which includes Novartis Access and the Novartis Healthy Family programs. This unit is operationally managed by Sandoz, the Novartis generics and biosimilars division.
About Novartis
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care and cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2015, the Group achieved net sales of USD 49.4 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 8.9 billion (USD 8.7 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). Novartis Group companies employ approximately 118,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are available in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.
One third of more than 700 health facilities in Borno State, north-eastern Nigeria, have been completely destroyed, according to a report released today by WHO. Of those facilities remaining, one third are not functioning at all.
“High insecurity, difficult terrain and lack of health workers, medicines, equipment and basic amenities such as safe water are making access to essential, lifesaving health care extremely difficult for people in this conflict-affected area,” says Dr Wondi Alemu, WHO Representative in Nigeria.
“WHO’s top priority is to help save lives and prevent sickness among the estimated 6 million people who need health assistance in this crisis.”
WHO has been working with the Borno State Ministry of Health to set up a Health Resources Availability Monitoring System (known as HeRAMS) to collect information on the availability of health resources and services in this humanitarian crisis.
The first report from this new system has identified 743 health facilities in Borno State, of which 35% are completely destroyed, another 29% partially damaged and only 34% intact. About 100 temporary health facilities have been set up to support the response, of which 49 are emergency clinics for displaced people living in camps.
Of the 481 health facilities that have not been destroyed, 31% of them are not functioning, mostly as a result of lack of access due to insecurity. Almost 60% of health facilities have no access to safe water (32% have no access to any water at all) and 3 out of 4 (73%) facilities do not have enough chlorine stocks to decontaminate the water used in the facility.
“The information from this system is critical to inform the management of Borno State Ministry of Health and its partners on gaps that need to be addressed urgently,” says Mr Kadai Baba Gana, deputy director for Planning, Research and Statistics in the Borno State Ministry of Health and the HeRAMS task team chairman. “This will help us to better coordinate and monitor the response and guide the allocation of scarce resources.”
HeRAMS is a rapid online system used to monitor which health facilities, services and resources are available and accessible in emergency settings. Health workers are trained by WHO to enter key information into the system about the clinic or hospital where they work. This information includes the kind of services the facility can provide, whether the infrastructure has essential resources like electricity and water, the skills of health workers, and the type of services, equipment and medicines available as well as support received from external partners. Information is updated regularly to help monitor improvements or new gaps in services.
Around 60% of the health facilities in north-eastern Nigeria are currently being supported by one or more of the 18 health partners responding to the crisis.
WHO is working closely with these partners to support the government to deliver essential lifesaving health services, gather and analyse key health information and prepare for and respond to disease outbreaks.
WHO has a strong presence in the community in these areas thanks to a well-established polio programme which includes teams of health workers trained to work in areas of high insecurity and reach communities that no other partner can reach.
However, more resources are needed. The United Nations and partners need US$ 94 million to provide health services to 6 million people, more than half of them children, in this crisis. Of this share, WHO needs US$ 31 million to deliver on its response plans in 2017.
In a bid to build a sustainable structure for the Young Pharmacists Group-Nigeria (YPG-NG) the national executive of the YPG-NG, led by the President, Pharm. Benjamin Onimisi, paid a visit to the 2016 Batch B Stream 1 Pharmacists Corps in the Lagos NYSC Camp, Ijana Ipaja, Lagos.
The South West Cordinator of YPG-NG, Pharm. Kehinde Phillips Adepoju, cordially welcomed the corp members to the zone and Lagos in particular.
He spoke extensively on the direction of YPG-NG and the need for young pharmacists to join hands in actualizing objectives of the group.
Pharm. Kehinde reiterated the group's commitment to inspire, unite and develop the capacity of young pharmacist. He charged the corp members to cooperate with him and the national executive to make YPG South West a centre of attraction.
The President of YPG-NG took the stage for his address. He appreciated the SW Cordinator of YPG-NG for the work he is doing in the region, and thanked the Chief Pharmacist for the effort put in to ensure the success of the meeting. He charged the pharmacists corps to join hands with his administration to ensure YPG-NG and pharmacy profession is uplifted.He maintained that young pharmacists must stop complaining, “we must stop asking what PSN has done for us but should rise up and join hands with PSN to redefine pharmacy practice, improve the image of pharmacy and pharmacists welfare especially as it affects young pharmacists.
Onimisi, who told the gathering of the major steps taken so far to ensuring that YPG-NG is properly structured and well coordinated to achieve its desired objectives.
The Chief Pharmacists of the Camp Clinic, Pharm. Oluwatosin Makinde welcomed the YPG-NG delegations and expressed his gratitude for the visit.He assured YPG-NG of the total commitment of the corps members to the activities of young pharmacists group.
It is no longer business as usual for pharmacists practicing in the United Kingdom, as they are experiencing what has been described as worst drugs scarcity ever, a situation which has landed many patients in the hospitals.
According to a healthcare practitioner whose name is withheld : It's not only frustrating, it's dangerous: as a result of drug shortages, patients are being harmed and even hospitalised, according to a survey of GPs and pharmacists for the parliamentary All-Party Pharmacy Group (APPG).
The situation which was reported by DailyMailonline, was said to have been aggravated due to continuous export of drugs from the UK to other countries in Europe, for profit maximisation. The report further revealed that researchers calculated the average wholesale price per dose of 210 prescription drugs sold in eight European countries, and found that the National Health Scheme of the country consistently paid the least.
The practitioner further remarked that although the practice is legal, but if exporting a drug creates a shortage for the NHS, it becomes a criminal offence, punishable by an unlimited fine and up to two years in prison.
Although, the challenged had been mentioned earlier by the All-Party Pharmacy Group (APPG) in 2012, but it appears nothing significant was done to curb the export of these drugs.
Going forward, does this serves as a warning signal to the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health?
WHO’s World Malaria Report 2016 reveals that children and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa have greater access to effective malaria control. Across the region, a steep increase in diagnostic testing for children and preventive treatment for pregnant women has been reported over the last 5 years. Among all populations at risk of malaria, the use of insecticide-treated nets has expanded rapidly.
But in many countries in the region, substantial gaps in programme coverage remain. Funding shortfalls and fragile health systems are undermining overall progress, jeopardizing the attainment of global targets.
Scale-up in malaria control
Sub-Saharan Africa carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2015, the region was home to 90% of malaria cases and 92% of malaria deaths. Children under five years of age are particularly vulnerable, accounting for an estimated 70% of all malaria deaths.
Diagnostic testing enables health providers to rapidly detect malaria and prescribe life-saving treatment. New findings presented in the report show that, in 2015, approximately half (51%) of children with a fever seeking care at a public health facility in 22 African countries received a diagnostic test for malaria, compared to 29% in 2010.
To protect women in areas of moderate and high malaria transmission in Africa, WHO recommends “intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy” (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. The treatment, administered at each scheduled antenatal care visit after the first trimester, can prevent maternal and infant mortality, anaemia, and the other adverse effects of malaria in pregnancy.
According to available data, there was a five-fold increase in the percentage of women receiving the recommended 3 or more doses of this preventive treatment in 20 African countries. Coverage reached 31% in 2015, up from 6% in 2010.
Insecticide-treated nets are the cornerstone of malaria prevention efforts in Africa. The report found that more than half (53%) of the population at risk in sub-Saharan Africa slept under a treated net in 2015, compared to 30% in 2010.
Last month, WHO released the findings of a major 5-year evaluation in 5 countries. The study showed that people who slept under long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) had significantly lower rates of malaria infection than those who did not use a net, even though mosquitoes showed resistance to pyrethroids (the only insecticide class used in LLINs) in all of these areas.
An unfinished agenda
Malaria remains an acute public health problem, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the report, there were 212 million new cases of malaria and 429 000 deaths worldwide in 2015.
There are still substantial gaps in the coverage of core malaria control tools. In 2015, an estimated 43% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa was not protected by treated nets or indoor spraying with insecticides, the primary methods of malaria vector control.
In many countries, health systems are under-resourced and poorly accessible to those most at risk of malaria. In 2015, a large proportion (36%) of children with a fever were not taken to a health facility for care in 23 African countries.
“We are definitely seeing progress,” notes Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. “But the world is still struggling to achieve the high levels of programme coverage that are needed to beat this disease.”
Global targets
At the 2015 World Health Assembly, Member States adopted the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030. The Strategy set ambitious targets for 2030 with milestones every 5 years to track progress.
Eliminating malaria in at least 10 countries is a milestone for 2020. The report shows that prospects for reaching this target are bright: In 2015, 10 countries and territories reported fewer than 150 indigenous cases of malaria, and a further 9 countries reported between 150 and 1000 cases.
Countries that have achieved at least 3 consecutive years of zero indigenous cases of malaria are eligible to apply for the WHO certification of malaria elimination. In recent months, the WHO Director-General certified that Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka had eliminated malaria.
But progress towards other key targets must be accelerated. The Strategy calls for a 40% reduction in malaria case incidence by the year 2020, compared to a 2015 baseline. According to the report, less than half (40) of the 91 countries and territories with malaria are on track to achieve this milestone. Progress has been particularly slow in countries with a high malaria burden.
An urgent need for more funding
Sustained and sufficient funding for malaria control is a serious challenge. Despite a steep increase in global investment for malaria between 2000 and 2010, funding has since flat-lined. In 2015, malaria funding totalled US$ 2.9 billion, representing only 45% of the funding milestone for 2020 (US$ 6.4 billion).
Governments of malaria-endemic countries provided about 31% of total malaria funding in 2015. The United States of America is the largest international malaria funder, accounting for about 35% of total funding in 2015, followed by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (16%).
If global targets are to be met, funding from both domestic and international sources must increase substantially.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has sent her condolence message to the families, the entire members of the Faculty of Pharmacy and the University of Benin Community, over the sudden death of three pharmacists recently.
The consolation message, which was broadcast via the Facebook Page of the PSN President, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai noted that it was a huge loss to the profession.
His words: ”I am deeply saddened by the loss of our great colleagues – Prof Lucky Okunrobo, Dr Idemudia and Dr Joseph Ukor of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, after a ghastly motor accident along Benin -Asaba road on their way back from the Biotechnology Conference at UNIZIK, Awka”.
Yakasai prayed for the departed lecturers for God to grant them eternal rest and to grant their families, the faculty of Pharmacy and the University the fortitude to bear these great losses.
Wreckage of vehicles at the accident site
Pharmanewsonline.com gathered that the three pharmacists were among the 53 persons that lost their lives in a road crash that occurred on last Thursday evening at Abudu town, along Benin-Agbor-Onitsha Express road.
Eyewitnesses reported that the crash was due to break failure which led to explosion from a petrol tanker, and it gutted other vehicles including two commercial Toyota Hummer buses, one Dyna truck, one Ford bus and one Toyota Corrolla.
Engr David Chidolue Ifezulike is the Chairman of Nestle Nigeria Plc, which is part of Nestle Central and Africa Region (CWAR), headquartered in Accra, Ghana. He recently marked his 70th birthday and feted friends and family at the prestigious Intercontinental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos.
Pharmanews’ senior correspondent, Chinwe Odita, seized the opportunity to chat with him about the impact of the current recession on Nestle Foods and the food and beverages industry as a whole. He also spoke about other pressing national issues. Excerpts:
Congratulations on your birthday, sir.
Thank you. I am happy being surrounded by very close friends and family and my dear wife of 40 years.
Engr David Chidolue Ifezulike
Tell us a little about yourself and Nestle Foods Plc, Nigeria.
I am an engineer by profession. I attended Imperial College, London, UK. I obtained an M.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering and another in DIC Management Science.
I served at Nestle Group from 1984 to 2006. I worked in Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Switzerland, Ghana and Nigeria – in Manufacturing, Production and Technical areas. While in Nestle, I rose to the position of executive director of Industrial Development. I became a director on the board of directors of Nestle in December 2000 and have been chairman of the company since May 10, 2013.
Nestle Plc is one of the foremost food companies in the world. It has been in existence for over 150 years and a committed player in West Africa since 1957.
Our core values are based on respect for people, respect for the environment and respect for the diverse world we live in. The company has the largest research development network of any food company in the world.
Nestle, which is quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, has two major segments: Food and Beverages. The Food segment deals with the the production and sale of Maggi, Cerelac, Nutrend, Lactogen, Nan and Golden Morn.
The Beverages segment focuses on the production and sale of Milo, Chocomilo, Nido, Nescafe and Nestle Pure Life. Our products are a favourite for most Nigerian homes.
How has the economic recession in the country affected the food and beverages sector in which Nestle Foods is a major player? How has it specifically affected Nestle?
For Nestle, like every other company, all areas are affected. Getting foreign exchange for importing raw materials and replacements for machinery has been tough. It’s been nearly impossible to get sufficient foreign exchange and, as you well know, if one has to go to the parallel market, it is far more costly. So, all materials for equipment replacement or acquisition of newer technology have been affected.
Also, weak consumer spending because of the recession is definitely hurting most manufacturing companies. The company also has to consider the dividends to be paid to shareholders.
Nestle however is coping reasonably. We learnt a long time ago to cut out frivolities in our spending. About three years ago, I was speaking to a CBN official and I told him that there is a need to place a limit on Nigerians’ spending. There is a need to place embargo on our spending outside the country. We have too much appetite for foreign goods.
A lot of companies and banks are currently exposed to foreign loans and they are even in more trouble since the recession started because they have to service and pay back the loans.
Nestle however has always looked inwards to replace imported raw materials for our products. We started as far back as 1983 to replace foreign sourced raw materials used for our products, with locally sourced ones. For example, we replaced butter oil with refined vegetable oil; barley malt extract has been replaced with maize, soya, millet, sorghum, etc.
What should the Nigerian government be doing to protect the industrial sector as a whole during this period?
For me, the Nigerian government needs to bring confidence back into the system because there is a lot of fear in the country. In 1999, the economy was not much better in terms of foreign reserves but there was less fear. The government needs to find a way to make peace in the Niger Delta because they are still the geese laying the golden eggs.
Diversifying the economy takes time and this constant disruption through blowing up of pipelines and killings is only creating more instability and fear. Beyond earnings from oil, gas supply for our electricity generation is one more reason why we still need peace in the Niger Delta.
The fight against corruption by the government is good. Whoever steals money must be sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others. Nigerian citizens, as well as the government, must cut down or completely cut off frivolous spending. Too much frivolous spending has not added any value to us as a country. We must change our tastes and embrace locally manufactured products. Our leaders should lead by example and buy made-in-Nigeria products.
What is your assessment of NAFDAC’s efforts to ensure packaged food products sold and distributed in Nigeria are safe and healthy? Also are there measures the agency can or should take to protect Nigerians from fake food products?
NAFDAC’s assignment is clear but tasking. They should look at smuggled products, which is a big issue in this country. Smugglers are the ones that break all the rules and don’t pay duties or taxes that local manufacturers of similar goods pay. Local manufacturers are the ones suffering because they pay heavy taxes.
Our government should borrow a leaf from developed countries where local manufacturers are encouraged through reduction of taxes and less duty payment for importation of new machinery and few raw materials which cannot be sourced locally. Here in Nigeria, local manufacturers are handicapped to a large extent because their products end up being quite expensive compared to foreign imports. This is mainly because they provide their own electricity, water and in some cases, even their own roads. The case of Cutix Plc is a clear example – and they make internationally standard cables compared to the often substandard foreign imports that abound in the country.
I believe that the way forward is for the government to reduce the taxes of local manufacturers of products and put in place an enabling environment for them to thrive and compete favourably with their foreign imported competitors.
World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently become more vehement in discouraging high sugar intake. It is said that many of the food drinks and beverages manufactured by food companies in Nigeria contain a lot of added sugar. What should we expect from Nestle in the next 10 years?
Nestle is at the top of research worldwide and we look at what is healthy. We have always pioneered moderation in everything. We continue to invest heavily in the development and improvement in the nutritional profile of all our products and we have continuously reduced salt, sugar, Trans fat and saturated fat as well as artificial colourings.
We use science-based solutions to improve the quality of life through food and diet, thereby contributing to the health and wellbeing of consumers. I am not an expert in these matters but Nestle strives to offer products with high nutritional value at lower prices.
“Health is like money, we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it.” ~Josh Billings
That health is wealth is a truism, which many people seem to take for granted until they experience the many discomforts that come with ill-health. Perhaps, this general apathy towards health-related issues wouldn’t have been so worrisome if the community of professional healthcare writers who are supposed to be at the forefront of the campaign for health-consciousness themselves do not appear to have caught the bug.
A glaring proof of this can be found in the kind of discussions that dominate social media platforms, newspapers and magazines today, as well as the amount of attention this generates. If one, for instance, compares the amount of traffic generated by websites and blogs devoted to entertainment, gossip, fashion etc to those related to health, the disparity is unmistakably huge. The fact that health is a priceless asset is apparently not a sufficient reason to give it all the attention it deserves.
The question is, whose obligation is it to make health information appealing to the masses? Are there particular attitudes, as well as styles and forms of writing that health writers need to adopt? Is it possible for Nigerian health journalists to compete favourably with their counterparts across the globe? These and many more formed the fulcrum of the recent Pfizer Media Parley themed: “Good Healthcare Reporting”.
L:R: Health Editor, Guardian Newspaper, Chukwuma Muanya; Health Editor, Daily Independent, Chioma Umeh; Director, Corporate Affairs, Pfizer Nigeria and East Africa Region, Margaret Olele; Online Health Editor, Pharmanews, Temitope Obayendo; Health Editor, Vanguard Newspaper, Sola Ogundipe, Health Editor, Sun Newspaper, Azoma Chikwe; at the recent media parley on healthcare reporting recently.
Opening the platform for discussion, the Director, Corporate Affairs, Pfizer Nigeria and East Africa Region, Mrs Margaret Olele, expressed the motive for organizing the confab, saying that having observed the trend of health reportage in the country for a while, she observed that there is the need for journalists on the health beat to up their skills, for health news to penetrate all nooks and crannies.
Olele, who expressed concerns about the future of young and enthusiastic health writers, noted that in spite of the several challenges facing the media professionals today, there is light at the end of the tunnel for those of them who have the vision and passion it takes to thrive in the industry.
First on the list of the recommended virtues for media men to embrace is originality. Olele explained how writing stories on new areas and in different dimension can earn health journalists great awards and international recognitions.”Granted that survival is tough, it is imperative for them to look beyond the present and think of the future of their profession”, she said.
Director, Corporate Affairs, Pfizer Nigeria and East Africa Region, Margaret Olele
In his own remarks, the Health Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr Sola Ogundipe, narrated his experience with young journalists on the beat, who are desperate about making their first millions as quick as possible, saying some of them are not willing to stoop to conquer, rather, they are willing to throw professionalism overboard for a CRV.
The well-traveled health editor mentioned the need for health writers to improve on their capacity, by knowing their strengths and weaknesses, and if possible go for higher study and training, stating this will boost their career a great deal.
Ogundipe, a beneficiary of many international grants, advised the writers to be different and radical in their style of reporting, which he said could earn them fellowship and grants in Africa and across the globe.
The Online Editor, Pharmanews Ltd, Temitope Obayendo, identified the major setback to good health reporting as low remuneration, saying this has subjected many a health correspondent to seeking only survival strategies rather than improving on their professionalism.
The net-savvy health writer, who advised her colleagues on the possibilities of expanding their knowledge on science by devoting quality time to learning about new findings and terminologies on science related issues, stressed that this can boost their health reportorial skill a lot.
The Health Editor, Guardian Newspapers, Mr Chukwuma Muanya also suggested the need for journalists to have a plan B, which they can always fall back to when the chips are down. “Although there is massive loss of job everywhere, but when writers have plan B1, B2, it will give them the confidence to do their job without fear or favour,” he said.
Entrepreneurial skill and business acumen are notable skills that would also do the media men a lot of good, if they can develop interest in these areas, the Health Editor, Sun Newspapers, Mr Azoma Chikwe asserted.
The Sun Editor, who highlighted recent arbitrary practices of media employers, said journalists would no longer be victimized, once they have added other skills to their writing talents, going forward will not be an herculean task.
Rounding off the deliberations, Olele appreciated the media friends of Pfizer, for their partnership throughout the year 2016, urging them to go back to their desks to restrategise for the best form of health reporting to take the health of Nigerians to the next level.
“People lack information in Nigeria, there is so much to be written about, but nobody is doing anything on it. The fact that you are in the healthcare industry does not limit your creativity, turn on your passion on what you do, maximize online opportunities for the progress of your profession”, she charged them
If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all? – Joe Namath
There is a price for everything. Even the item that is classified as priceless still has a selling price. Its selling price is ‘‘priceless!’’ Every prospect has a price. Every prospect has something that will attract him to buy. It’s the duty of the salesman to identify this.
The concept that I call, ‘‘The Fishing Metaphor of Selling,’’ uses fishing as an allegory to communicate that a salesman is like the fisherman. The concept highlights the unique similarities between the salesman and the fisherman. Figuratively, in this model, the salesman needs the line, the hook and the bait in order to perform a successful sales process.
Everyone goes for a target:
Fishermen and salesmen seek to attract something. The fisherman seeks to catch fishes, whereas the salesman seeks to win customers. The two professions are in the business of attracting their targets. It takes a process to attract these targets and the process should be followed if you want to succeed in the venture.
In the hook, line and bait model, the LINE represents the skills of the salesman; the HOOK represents the salesman’s strategies; and the BAIT represents the things salesmen use as incentives to attract buyers to their product. This model must be applied for successful selling to take place.
The fishing metaphor of selling is encompassing. It covers everything that will make a buyer buy a product; both from the buyer’s perspective and the salesman’s point of view.
Let the value surpass the cost:
The relationship between the seller and the buyer should be balanced. The buyer buys total value in exchange for the total cost he is paying to the seller. When we talk about customer value determinants, we compare total customer values (which are the benefits derived from a given offering) versus total customer cost (which are the bundle of costs the buyer is expected to expend in the offering).
It is natural that the buyer will prefer that the things he receives as benefits and value exceed the cost he is incurring.
In measuring customers’ satisfaction, the expectation of the buyer is matched with the performance of the offering. The buyer will be satisfied if his expectations are met. He will be delighted if his expectations are exceeded. On the other hand, the buyer will be dissatisfied if his expectations are not met.
In the fishing metaphor of selling, I teach that the bait must be good enough. People buy when their reasons for buying are met. It is the duty of the salesman to unravel the things that will attract the buyer. Most times the buyer may not let out all in his mind but by asking the right questions and qualifying the prospects, the salesman gets the right answers.
Keep selling!
The fishing metaphor of selling seeks to provide solution to the salesman. The salesman is equipped when he adopts this theory because all the sales fundamentals: strategies, skills and incentives are in place. The model accommodates the three vital aspects of selling!
The fishing metaphor of selling also teaches that if you want to succeed in selling, you must be seen to be doing your best at all times – just as the fisherman keeps his line in the water all the time. Products and services don’t go on vacation. I have not seen where companies decide that their products should go on holidays – unless in the special circumstance where a company decides to put sales on hold for uncommon reasons; but this is not an everyday happening.
Selling is an all time thing. It’s an everyday task. It’s not a one-off job. Companies expect salesmen to sell every minute, just like the fisherman expects to catch fishes all the time! Your products should be on the shelf of every store in town. The services your company offers should be the talk of the town. This task is achievable but you must be ready to work. Get started with The Fishing Metaphor of Selling!
12 stressful things that extraordinary leaders do not tolerate
Needless tolerations can bleed you dry of energy and make it impossible for you to function effectively as a leader. You can’t live a happy, successful, fulfilling leadership role or life if you’re spending all your energy tolerating things that shouldn’t be tolerated. Sometimes you need to put your foot down.
Here are some things to stop tolerating in your life:
The decision to settle for mediocrity.
It’s not always about trying to fix something that’s broken. Sometimes it’s about starting over and creating something better. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly. Sometimes growing up means growing apart from old habits, relationships, and situations, and finding something new that truly moves you – something that gets you so excited you can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning. That’s what life is all about. Don’t settle for less.
Your own negative thinking.
Your mind is your sacred space. You can close the windows and darken your space, or you can open the windows and let light in. It’s your choice. The sun is always shining on some part of your life. What do you typically think about? How far you’ve come, or how far you have to go? Your strengths or your weaknesses? The best that could happen, or the worst that might come to be? Pay attention to your self-talk. Because maybe, just maybe, the only thing that needs to shift in order for you to experience more happiness, more love, and more success, is your way of thinking.
Other people’s negativity.
If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself. You do not have control over what others say and do; but you do have control over whether or not you will allow them to say and do these things to you. You alone can deny their poisonous words and actions from invading your heart and mind. Remember, if you do not respect your sacred inner space, no one else will either.
Unhealthy relationships.
Choose your relationships wisely. Being alone will never cause as much loneliness as the wrong relationships. Be with people who know your worth. You don’t need lots of friends to be happy; just a few real ones who appreciate you for who you are. Oftentimes walking away has nothing to do with weakness, and everything to do with strength. We walk away not because we want others to realise our worth, but because we finally realise our own worth.
Dishonesty.
Inner peace is being able to rest at night knowing you haven’t used or taken advantage of anyone to get to where you are in life. Living a life of honesty creates peace of mind, and peace of mind is priceless. Period. Don’t be dishonest and don’t put up with people who are.
A work environment or career field you hate.
If it does not feel right, don’t settle on the first or second career you dabble in. Keep searching. Eventually you will find the work you love to do. If you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don’t stop. You are on to something big. Because hard work isn’t hard when you concentrate on your passions.
Being disorganised and unprepared.
Get up 30 minutes earlier so you don’t have to rush around like a mad man. That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness and other unnecessary headaches. Clear the clutter. Get rid of stuff you don’t use.
Inaction.
The acquisition of knowledge doesn’t mean you’re growing; growing happens when what you know changes how you live. You can’t change anything or make any sort of progress by sitting back and thinking about it. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. The best time to start is now.
The lingering of unfinished business.
There’s nothing more stressful than the perpetual lingering of unfinished business. Stop procrastinating. Start taking action to tie loose ends. Putting something off instantly makes it harder and scarier. 10
The choice to mull over past mistakes and regrets.
If you feel like your ship is sinking, it might be a good time to throw out the stuff that’s been weighing it down. The next time you decide to unclutter your life and clean up your space, start with the things that are truly useless, like old regrets, shame, and anger. Let it go. You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep rereading your previous one.
A mounting pile of personal debt.
Financial debt causes stress and heartache. Live a comfortable life, not a wasteful one. Do not buy stuff you do not need. Do not spend to impress others. Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects. Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you. Always live well below your means.
Your reluctance to say what you need to say.
Everyone has this little watchdog inside their head. It’s always there watching you. It was born and raised by your family, friends, co-workers and society at large, and its sole purpose is to watch you and make sure you stay in line. And once you become accustomed to the watchdog’s presence, you begin to think its opinion of what’s acceptable and unacceptable are absolute truths. But they’re not truths; they’re just other people’s opinions. Remember, the watchdog is just a watchdog, he just watches. He can’t actually control you. He can’t do anything about it if you decide to rise up and go against the grain.
No, you shouldn’t start shouting obscenities and acting like a fool. But you must say what you need to say, when you need to say it. It may be your only chance to do so. Don’t censor yourself. Speak the truth – your truth – always.
No fewer than 200 people benefited from the open camps initiated by Biofem Pharmaceuticals Limited, maker of Biobetic, in celebration of this year’s World Diabetes Day.
World Diabetes Day is celebrated annually on 14 November. Initiated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), it was created in 1991 in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, in response to growing concerns about the escalating threats posed by diabetes.
Speaking with Pharmanews, Dr Chris Abhulimhen, a product manager with Biofem Group, explained that the camps which opened in two different locations in Lagos – Gbagada General Hospital on 14 November, and the Nigerian Ports Authority Club, Bode Thomas on 8 November – were meant to create awareness on the dangers of diabetes and prediabetes.
“Aside from commemorating the World Diabetes Day, the Lagos Diabetes Camps that we had in collaboration with the Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN) and the NPA Diamond club was Biofem’s own way of showing care towards people living with diabetes,” he said.
The diabetes camps featured activities such as free blood sugar screening, HBA1C screening (subsidised), dancing competition, question and answer segment, as well as distribution of Biobetic sample, fliers and promotional materials.
Participants were also treated to short presentations on “Diet & Foot Care in People Living with Diabetes” by Mrs Akande Adeyemo, matron, Gbagada general hospital and “Self-Management and Diabetes Care” by Dr (Mrs) W. Isiba, an endocrinologist, at the same hospital.
Others in attendance at the event were Alhaji Abdulwahab B. Dauda, NPA Diamond club President; Pharm. Mrs Christy Akpa, chief pharmacist of the Nigerian Ports Authority Club; Mrs Chinwe Ogidigo, health promotion specialist; Pharm Mayowa Onabule, Biofem’s medical representative; Bunmi Soremekun, Biofem’s digital marketing officer; and Mr Olatunji Taiwo, another Biofem’s medical representative.
Biofem Group was incorporated in January 2002. As a parent company with three affiliates, namely, Biofem Specialities, Biofem Medical Devices and Biofem Ghana, it has a number of reputable overseas pharmaceuticals companies as its franchise holders and partners.
According to its founder, Mr Femi Soremekun, the company was formed out of a need to provide high quality pharmaceutical products from overseas multinationals at affordable rates, given the challenges encountered by the local manufacturers in the areas of capacity under-utilisation occasioned by minimal power supply and internationally accepted quality standard.
Some of the company’s major brands include Rhogam, Biobetic, Pylorest, Rabefast, Tramal & Tramal Retard and Healthilife ranges of Vitamin C.
