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  • Pfizer, Kano restate commitment to research centre’s sustainability

    Pfizer, Kano restate commitment to research centre’s sustainability

    Kano State Government and Pfizer Inc. have restated commitment to the ongoing development and long-term sustainability of the Kano Independent Research Center Trust (KIRCT).

    The KIRCT donors and trustees met in Kano, during which they briefed the Secretary to the State Government Dr Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, who represented Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

    They also met with Emir of Kano Aminu Ado Bayero.

    The meeting was on the ongoing development and long-term sustainability of the research centre led by the Kano International Independent Research Trust.

    It was established by the Kano government and Pfizer in Dawakin Kudu, Kano.

    The centre conducts bio-medical (and healthcare) research with a focus on communicable and non-communicable diseases of public health importance in Nigeria and the African continent.

    It also executes programmes for workforce development in public health and offers clinical services for communicable and non-communicable diseases.

    A joint statement reads: “Pfizer Inc. and Kano State Government are coming together once again to highlight the work of the Trust and its efforts in establishing a preeminent research centre.

    Read Also: FG commits to completing Abuja-Kaduna-Kastina-Kano highway in 2025

    “Since the establishment of the Trust and implementation of a strategic plan four years ago, the Trust has made great strides — including appointing a Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, attracting some grants, installing governance mechanisms that have improved its independence, transparency, and accountability and, most importantly, in the volume and quality of research being conducted at the centre.

    “Pfizer Inc. and Kano State government also want to express their appreciation to those whose hard work has resulted in a preeminent international research centre focusing on a wide array of serious diseases in Kano.

    “The donors pay tribute to the deceased trustee Prof Kamil Alausa who passed on November 10, 2023, for his significant contributions to the work of KIRCT and wish the Director-General, Prof Hamisu Salihu and the Executive Secretary, David Odiwo a successful tenure.

    “With their selfless service, the research centre continues to be operational and managed sustainably to deliver immense value to the people of Kano State, Nigeria, and Africa as a whole.”

    Among the delegation were Pfizer counsel Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN), Pfizer Country Manager, Nigeria/Cluster Lead, West Africa Mr Olayinka Subair, and Cluster Lead, Sub-Sahara Africa, Mr Rhulani Nhlaniki.

    The Emir assured the delegation of his and the Emirate’s continued support to the development of KIRCT.

    The statement adds: “At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives.

    “We strive to set the standard for quality, safety, and value in the discovery, development, and manufacture of healthcare products, including innovative medicines and vaccines.

    “Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments, and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time.

    “Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world’s premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments, and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world.

    “For more than 175 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us.

    “We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.pfizer.com.”

  • Pfizer supports GPs in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya

    Pfizer supports GPs in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya

    General Practitioners (GP) in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya have benefited from Pfizer’s General Practitioners’ (GP) programme, a corporate social responsibility initiative of the company.

    The GPs medical skills and education got a boost through the pharmaceutical company’s ‘Learning Exchange Advancement Programme (LEAP).

    The initiative, which began three years ago, has reached 5,000 doctors, with 2,000 being reached between July and  last month through technology.

    Pfizer explained that the objectives of LEAP are two-fold: First, it wants to be close to the GPs, who are the first point of call for patients,  to get a deeper understanding of their peculiar practice-related circumstances and needs, and second, to contribute to updating their knowledge and skills on trends in medical practice.

    Pfizer Essential Health Marketing Director, Winston Ailemoh, who spoke on the reasons the company focused on general practice physicians, said: “We believe at the end, if the patients get better care, Pfizer’s mission of saving lives will be achieved. But our primary target is to improve the knowledge of the GPs and make them better in diagnoses, management of the patients and recommending what is best for the patients. We have realised over time that this is one segment within the healthcare sector that had been neglected by a lot of pharmaceutical companies.

    “The focus of most pharmaceutical companies is on specialists. They invest in cardiologists, oncologists, diabetologists, etc. But when an individual is sick, he or she usually goes to the general practice physician first. So, our focus is on the general practitioners.’’

    Explaining the importance of general practitioners in the medical ecosystem, Ailemoh said when a patient goes to the hospital, the first doctor he will usually encounter is a general practice physician, who conducts initial checks and tests and makes a provisional/preliminary diagnosis.

    The programme has engaged doctors in all the geo-political zones of each country (Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya). However, the company recently re-strategised on how to reach more doctors leveraging modern technology.

    Ailemoh said: “Three years ago, we started this programme with two or three meetings in a year; one in the north, one in the south and one in the west. But now we are doing it differently.”

    He added: “We started asking ourselves towards the end of last year, how we could reach more doctors, and we decided to leverage technology monthly to attain a wider coverage across multiple centers in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.

    “From May, this year, we started experimenting with a broadcast centre in Lagos and receiving centres in different parts of Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. Four months down the line, it has been an amazing success story for us,” he said.

    Corroborating the marketing director, the Brand Manager, Primary Care, Olakunle Ogunlowo, said the programme had achieved its two critical objectives.

    On how the participants are sourced, Ailemoh said: “We have medical representatives engaging the GPs daily in both private and public hospitals across Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. Invitations are extended through the medical representatives and their managers, who engage not less than 50 hospitals weekly,” he informed.

    The marketing director emphasised that the impact had been tremendous, adding that the main objective is to reach more GPs with the medical education programme by continuous innovative approach leveraging technology.

    “In terms of impact, it has been tremendous. For instance, the impact of over 2000 general practitioners well equipped with such knowledge could bring about a great improvement in health care delivery to patients,” he added.

    The company plans to extend its tentacles  to Benin, Calabar, Enugu and Kano.

  • ‘How to control sickle cell deaths’

    ‘How to control sickle cell deaths’

    The Medical Director of Pfizer, Dr Kodjo Soroh has said that the high death rate of sickle cell patients across the county can be prevented through proper management and increased disease awareness programmes in rural areas.

    Dr Soroh said this at the three-day conference organised by the Sickle Cell Support Society of Nigeria (SCSSN), supported by Pfizer held in Enugu.

    The theme of the conference: ‘Reducing the burden of Sickle Cell disease in our communities’ was anchored on raising awareness for sickle cell disease (SCD); increasing the understanding of the disease among the communities health workers, to review the activities of the society since the last one held was two years ago, with a view to hearing from SCSSN members who were sponsored on scholarship to pursue their post-graduate degrees in Brazil.

    And to also outline research and training priorities, update knowledge about the different aspects of the pathophysiology and management of sickle cell and to hold a meeting of the West African Sickle Cell Network.

    Dr Soroh said Pfizer will continue to support activities on how policies can be improved to adequately impact on sickle cell patients.

    He said, “There is no way Government can better manage the situation without making policies that will guarantee treatment for people with the disease. This is why Pfizer as a major sponsor for the 2017 SCSSN conference has expressed their commitment to partner with Government and stakeholders that are willing to make feasible policies towards reducing the burden of sickle cell in the country.”

    The keynote speaker, Professor of Haematology at the Muhumbili University of Tanzania Lucio Luzzatto was in agreement with the call by stakeholders for the government to pass a bill on sickle cell control and management to better ensure the life of the people living with the sickle cell disorder.

    A professor of Paediatric Haematology and Chairman, Sickle Cell Support Society of Nigeria, Professor Adekunle Adekile also called on the Government to support the Sickle Cell Society in order to reduce the burden of the disease in the communities. He identified poor leadership on the part of the Government as being responsible for the snail paced action on Sickle Cell in the country and called on the National Assembly to revisit the Sickle Cell Act brought before the house four years ago with a view to passing it.

    “The chunk of the problem lies with the Government because, over the years, they have paid lip service to Sickle Cell Disease control and management. The Government should make policies on SCD a serious one so that life of patients can be ensured. The National Assembly should revisit and possibly pass the Sickle Cell Act to ensure that people with the disease are covered”, he said.

    Adekile said sickle cell is a disease that is common all over the world, particularly in Nigeria which has the largest burden with a total number of 1,500 children born every year with the disease. Adekile said that the problem of a Sickle cell is pervasive and many of the patients live in the rural areas, pointing out that the care in the tertiary or secondary centres is not enough. He regretted that the Government has not paid adequate attention to tackling Sickle Cell Disease noting that the disease cannot be controlled until a comprehensive National Policy for the Control and management  of the patients is introduced

    On her part, the Director, Corporate Affairs Pfizer for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mrs Maggie Olele said the community networking is critical to achieving the aim of reducing the burden of Sickle Cell in our communities. She noted that Sickle Cell is not a death sentence even as she advised parents to always identify with organisations that are committed to tackling the scourge.

    Director, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Centre in Ghana, Professor Kwaku Frempong said that most people who are born with Sickle Cell disease in Africa are not diagnosed and many of them die as children. He observed that Government are not aware of the impact of SCD on childhood mortality while noting that there is no country in the whole of Africa that has programmes for new born screening.

    “Our Government must step up measures and provide some supplements so that people can be treated as the medical cost is usually beyond what people can manage,” he said.

    The Marketing Officer of Assene-Laborex Limited, a subsidiary of Biomedomics, Pharm Santos Onuigbo, charged young people to know their genotype early enough before going into marriage.

     

     

  • Kenya unveils meningitis vaccine amid threat of outbreak

    Kenya on Friday unveiled meningitis vaccine as the debilitating bacterial disease threatens to break out in the country’s northern counties amid biting drought.

    The new meningitis vaccine called “Nimenrix” was developed by Pfizer, an American pharmaceutical giant and will bolster efforts to eradicate the highly infectious disease that is rampant in Kenya and 26 other Sub-Saharan Countries.

    Deshnee Achary, the head of Pfizer Vaccines in the Anglophone region said Kenya became the first country in the region to benefit from a meningitis vaccine that was developed after rigorous scientific research.

    “Vaccination is a critical intervention in healthcare like clean water.

    “The meningitis vaccine will therefore offer long-term immunity against the disease to high risk populations,” Achary said.

    Kenya has recorded sporadic Meningitis outbreaks fuelled by droughts and displacement of populations in the northern frontier districts.

    Achary noted that Kenya’s vulnerability to a meningitis outbreak remained higher in the light of escalating drought and influx of refugees from endemic and strife torn neighboring countries.

    “Any meningitis outbreak in Africa coincides with drought hence the need for Kenyan authorities to take proactive measures like mass vaccination, hygiene education and intensive surveillance at border crossings,” said Achary.

    She added that a partnership with the ministry of health will facilitate distribution of the Meningitis vaccine to the high risk counties.

    The Nimenrix Meningitis vaccine that was approved by global regulatory agencies five years ago has proved to be an effective tool of containing the bacterial disease which impairs physical and neurological functions of patients.

    Dr Ombeva Malande, Director of East African Centre for Vaccines and Immunisation said the Nimenrix vaccine has over 90 per cent efficacy and will embolden other clinical interventions to manage the disease.

    “Vaccinating people suppresses the meningitis bacteria to ensure it does not develop to fatal stages. Available data indicates Nimemrix vaccine has met the threshold of safety and efficacy,” said Malande.

    Kenya belongs to the Meningitis Belt that comprises 27 Sub-Saharan African countries.

    The World Health Organisation contends that 1.2 million new cases of Meningitis leading to 135,000 deaths are reported annually across the globe.

  • Pfizer congratulates The Nation girl

    Pfizer Specialties, the country’s arm of Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals has congratulated the  The Nation‘s Health Desk Head, Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha, on emerging winner of the Africa Correspondent for the World Cardiovascular Conference (WCC) competition. This year’s WCC was held in Mexico City.

    In a letter signed by the Country Manager Pfizer Specialties Limited Nigeria and East Africa Region (NEAR) Region, Mark Wagstaff and Director Corporate Affairs, Mrs Margaret Olele, the duo said it recognised the value she has added to healthcare reporting, particularly in reporting Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

    They said it had been a pleasure having her at their media parleys and that they looked forward to working with The Nation to improve health and medical information reporting.

    The four-day conference was organised by the World Heart Federation (WHF), which brought together the world’s researchers, policymakers and health leaders to position heart health at the centre of global development.

    Oyeyemi as the official WCC 2016 Africa Correspondent reported on eminent scientists and key opinion leaders from around the world and Africa in particular, who spoke about the particular challenges heart disease poses to the region.

    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death worldwide, and over 80 per cent of these deaths occur in low and middle income countries, including those in Africa.

    The competition represented a real opportunity for her as the first to report on the latest cutting edge research and innovation in heart health.

  • Pfizer sponsors 88th edition of pharmaceutical society confab

    To further demonstrate its acknowledgement of strategic partnership with relevant stakeholders, leading healthcare company Pfizer Nigeria, has announced its support for the 88th Annual General Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) in Abuja.

    The conference sponsorship is geared toward sustaining the mutual relationship that exists between Pfizer and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and ensure a successful meeting of the pharmacists.

    Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Winston Ailemoh, Marketing Director, Pfizer Nigeria/Ghana/East Africa, said “we value our existing relationship with all our stakeholders which include the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria. This relationship is responsible for our support of the conference which has over the years evolved to become a significant event for pharmacists and healthcare professionals,” he said.

    Mr. Ailemoh further described the partnership with the PSN as mutually rewarding, noting that the brand’s visibility in the association’s activities has been massive.

    Also, Centrum & Caltrate Multivitamin, a new product from Pfizer will be unveiled at the conference.

    The 88th Annual National Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) is the annual gathering of Pharmacists from the various sectors of pharmaceutical practice across Nigeria. The conference is the biggest gathering of pharmacists in Nigeria and offers pharmaceutical and other allied companies the opportunity to engage various stakeholders and members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria.

    Acknowledging Pfizer’s partnership, the National President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mr. Olumide Akintayo described Pfizer as worthy partners, whose support for the activities of the Association over the years have been motivating.

  • How to prevent kidney failure, by Pfizer chief

    How can renal failure be prevented? It is by  undergoing regular blood pressure checks, says Pfizer NEAR Medical Director Dr Kodjo Soroh.

    He noted that people with high blood presure are more likely to suffer kidney failure.

    Dr Soroh spoke at the screening for healthy kidney, in partnership with University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, to mark this year’s World Kidney Day.

    According to Soroh, there are several risk factors that are associated with the condition and these include: smoking, obesity, diabetes, high level of salt intake and high level of alcohol consumption, among others. “Guidelines recommend a blood pressure target of 120/80 mmHg for healthy people or 130/80 mmHg for people suffering from diabetes. Kidney disease has become a common problem in our society.  If detected early, chronic kidney diseases can be treated, thereby reducing other complications including death and disability associated with the disorder,” he said.

    A Nephrologist with the UCH, Ibadan, Prof Babatunde. L. Salako who gave a health talk on how to prevent kidney failure said, “This year we decided to increase awareness on the effect of ageing on the kidney and the importance of adequate intake of water.  Over 250 patients will be screened and counseled. Prevention through routine medical screening is essential in preventing Kidney disease”.

    Director Corporate Affairs/Health and Value, Pfizer, Mrs. Margaret Olele, said, “We all should learn to imbibe good and healthy lifestyle. Pfizer in the scope of its Corporate Social Responsibility organised disease awareness programme and free medical screening for the general public, to address the growing concern of kidney disease. These screenings which cover health parameters like blood pressure, glucose and total cholesterol, take place in pharmacies, religious organisations and corporate establishments, in partnership with medical institutions.

    “As part of Pfizer’s commitment to working together for a healthier world, Pfizer partnered with University College Hospital, Ibadan to mark World Kidney day.  The World Kidney Day is celebrated globally on March 14 every year.  The mission is to raise global awareness on the importance of this vital human organ, kidney, to our overall health and to reduce the frequency, impact and associated health problems of kidney disease.

  • UK wants ‘hard negotiation’ with Pfizer

    Britain is ready for “hard negotiation” to ensure Pfizer sticks to specific promises on jobs and science under the United States drugmaker’s proposed takeover of AstraZeneca, its finance minister said.

    “I think it would be extraordinary not to engage with AstraZeneca or Pfizer,” George Osborne told BBC radio on Saturday.

    He stressed Britain was an open economy that had benefited “enormously” from past investment by foreign companies, such as Tata Motors and Nissan in the car industry, and AstraZeneca itself had grown by taking over foreign firms.

    Although the country’s second-biggest drugmaker AstraZeneca has rejected a $106 billion approach from Pfizer in what would be the largest foreign takeover of a British company, the U.S. group is expected to continue its pursuit.

    Osborne said there was there was “a lot of speculation about another bid coming.”

    Reuters says Pfizer is currently weighing its next move, which could be a higher offer next week.

    “We are an open economy, we benefit from that. But our national economic interest when it comes to a very big takeover like this is who’s going to be providing the science and the jobs and the manufacturing,” Osborne said.

    Pfizer’s past record of cutting jobs after swallowing smaller rivals such as Wyeth, Warner-Lambert and Pharmacia has stirred up a political storm and fuelled concerns among scientists about the impact of any deal on British science.

  • Pfizer, AstraZeneca in $100b takeover bid

    Pfizer, AstraZeneca in $100b takeover bid

    United States (US) drugmaker Pfizer Inc approached Britain’s AstraZeneca Plc to reignite a potential $100 billion takeover and was rebuffed, raising investor expectations it will have to increase its offer to close the deal.
    Pfizer said it proposed a takeover to AstraZeneca in January worth 58.8 billion pounds, about $98.9 billion, or nearly 47 pounds per share. It had contacted its British rival again on Saturday, seeking to discuss further a takeover.
    The chase was welcomed by investors in both companies, as deal-making grips the healthcare industry.
    AstraZeneca said Pfizer’s suggested offer undervalued the company “very significantly,” adding that Pfizer wanted to pay 70 per cent in shares and only 30 per cent in cash. AstraZeneca urged its shareholders to take no action and said it remained confident of its independent strategy.
    “I feel pretty confident of a higher bid coming,” said Neil Veitch, global and UK investment director at SVM Asset Management, which owns AstraZeneca shares. “I think it’s more likely than not that we’ll see an agreed deal somewhere in that 52 to 53 pound range.”
    Buying AstraZeneca would boost Pfizer’s pipeline of cancer drugs and create significant cost and tax savings. Under British takeover rules, Pfizer has until May 26 to announce a firm intention to make an offer or back away.
    Reuters reported that the renewed approach comes amid a wave of mergers and acquisitions in the sector, pushing the value of deals to $153 billion so far this year, as the industry restructures amid healthcare spending cuts and competition from cheap generics.
    “Society wants products faster, they want more products and they want value,” Pfizer Chief Executive Ian Read told reporters. “Industry is responding to society’s request for increased efficiencies and productivity.”
    Read said AstraZeneca had declined to engage in talks and the US group was now considering how to proceed, but he remained convinced that combining the two companies made strategic sense and would benefit AstraZeneca investors.
    Pfizer’s original proposal, made to the board of AstraZeneca on January 5, would have valued AstraZeneca shares at 46.61 pounds each – a premium of around 30 per cent at the time.
    AstraZeneca said the proposal comprised 13.98 pounds in cash and 1.758 Pfizer shares for each AstraZeneca share.
    “My guess is it will go for somewhere between 50 and 55 pounds a share,” said Dan Mahony, a fund manager at Polar Capital, who raised his stake in AstraZeneca in February last year. “I doubt Pfizer will want to go completely hostile.”
    Most of Pfizer’s past deals have been conducted on a friendly basis, including its 2009 purchase of Wyeth for $68 billion. But it has been willing to play hardball if needed, as it did in 2000 with its $90 billion purchase of U.S. rival Warner-Lambert, with which it won full ownership of cholesterol fighter Lipitor, the best-selling drug of all time.
    Read told US analysts that since the initial approach to AstraZeneca, both companies had seen experimental drugs fare well in trials. At the same time, Pfizer concluded it was too difficult to pursue big deals domestically while being on the hook for higher US tax rates.
    “We’re coming from a position of strength, on our near-term pipeline” of experimental drugs, Read said.

  • Pfizer seeks help for children on pneumonia

    Pfizer seeks help for children on pneumonia

    Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company has urged stakeholders to improve the health status of children. According to the Company’s Medical Director, Dr Kodjo Soroh, there is urgent need for the government, corporate organisations and individuals to explore partnership strategy for a better health care of the Nigerian child.

    Lamenting on the prevalent cases of pneumonia and diarrhoea among children in Nigeria, he said everyone, especially journalists have a prominent role to play in fighting the diseases while promoting a healthy nation.

    “It is no longer what Pfizer is doing, but everybody, including the media involvement in working together to sensitise and vaccinate Nigerian children against these diseases, most of which are 100 per cent preventable. We are looking at prevention of preventable diseases, global vaccine action plan and universal accessibility to quality health care. Pneumonia is the number one child killer disease in the world followed closely by diarrhoea. These are preventable through vaccines.”

    He charged Nigerians to deviate from mourning the country’s unpalatable health indices to taking drastic and collective steps in arresting the ugly trend.

    “There is need to continue to spread the message even to the rural areas. Ghana, for example, had not recorded any case of measles in the past seven years, this is the disease that is still prevalent and remains among the highest killers of children in Nigeria, “he said.

    To boost child healthcare during this year’s celebration of Children Day, Dr Kodjo said Pfizer is partnering with the Kwara State Government, using the arts competition to reorientate on diseases which Nigerians often misconstrue for spiritual cases.

    Also, Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Pfizer, Mrs Margaret Olele, advised Nigerians to place their health as priority instead of other luxuries of life at the expense of quality health status.

    She said it is high time Nigeria tapped into public-private partnership (PPP) and other models of improving health care delivery, especially as it has dawned that Nigeria can no longer meet her 2015 new Millennium Development Goals on health.

    Mrs Olele said there must be a long-lasting health package through collaborations geared towards eradicating childhood diseases. She described the children as voiceless, emphasising the situation as prerequisite for stakeholders to represent their interest at all cases.

    “If we must save our children from this unhealthy situation, Nigerians should shift from the tradition of only talking during world diseases celebration days to talking and acting every day, and the time is now,” she said.