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Tag: WHO

  • May & Baker receives WHO cGMP certification

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified May & Baker Nigeria Plc as a pharmaceutical manufacturing company with adequate facilities and processes that meet the global health organisation’s current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).

    The announcement, which was  communicated to May & Baker Nigeria by the world health ruling body, caps a deliberate and sustained effort by the company to seek international accreditation and certification for its production processes and products.

    The certification opens an opportunity for global drug contract manufacturing to May & Baker, whose Ota, Ogun State-based manufacturing complex known as The Pharmacentre was designed and positioned as the most modern pharmaceutical factory in the West African region.

    Nigerian pharmaceutical firms previously were not in a position to participate in international tenders for medicines against the three pandemics that require WHO prequalification. Health experts identified this as a major constraint on the local supply of medicines, especially anti-retroviral (ARVs) drugs, anti-malarial and anti-tuberculosis agents.

    The road to the WHO GMP certification began as far back as 2008 when May & Baker commenced the construction of a world class manufacturing facility at Ota, Ogun State. The facility, which was commissioned in 2011 by President Goodluck Jonathan, was designed to meet all requirements of international pharmaceutical manufacturing best practice, from civil works to equipment installations, quality assurance, input supply and production processes.

    In 2012, the company applied to the WHO for GMP certification. May & Baker Nigeria Plc’s Pharmacentre was inspected by WHO experts four times between 2012 and 2014 in the course of mandatory and advisory inspections. In all inspections, positive reports were made about the Pharmacentre, while improvements to processes, documentation and further training were carried out. In September, 2014, the WHO finally gave a nod to the company as having met the requirements for GMP certification.

    Managing Director, May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okafor, noted that the firm has become synonymous with excellence since it started operations in Nigeria in 1944 as the first pharmaceutical company in the country, pointing out that the WHO certification is not an end in itself but another motivation for further attainments in the quest for excellent healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

    He outlined that May & Baker was the first pharmaceutical company in Nigeria, first to introduce a new dosage Chloroquine regimen, first ISO-certified pharmaceutical company, first to set up ARV plant in Nigeria and first and only pharmaceutical company in Nigeria to delve into local vaccine production.

    According to him, the company has by this certification confirmed that the confidence and funds committed in the Pharmacentre will be used as a spring board to attain greater participation in both the local and international pharmaceutical markets.

    He however pointed out that the journey to WHO’s prequalification of products is not yet over as the company would soon commence the next stage which will involve the presentation of specific products for prequalification by WHO.

     

  • We can end Ebola outbreak in 2015 – Ban

    We can end Ebola outbreak in 2015 – Ban

    The deadly Ebola outbreak can be ended “by the middle of next year” if the world speeds up its response, United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has said.

    But he warned that although the rate of new cases was slowing in parts of West Africa, Mali – where six people have died – was now of deep concern.

    And the head of the UN Ebola mission, Anthony Banbury, said the world was “far away” from beating the virus.

    The BBC reports that Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have been worst hit by the Ebola outbreak.

    More than 5,400 people have died in those three countries, along with a handful of others in Nigeria, Mali, Spain and the United States.

    In a separate development, Liberian police said all the country’s beaches would be closed from 29 November until Liberia was declared free of Ebola.

    In a statement, the police said anyone using the beach in violation of the order would be prosecuted.

    Speaking at a meeting in Washington with officials from the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mr Ban said: “If we continue to accelerate our response, we can contain and end the outbreak by the middle of next year.”

    Meanwhile, the death toll in the Ebola epidemic has risen to 5,459 out of 15,351 cases identified in eight countries by the end of November 18, the WHO said on Friday.

    Reuters says the figures showed an increase of 39 recorded deaths and 106 new cases since those issued on Wednesday.

    “Transmission remains intense in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone,” the WHO said, referring to the hardest-hit countries.

  • WHO declares Congo Ebola outbreak ‘over’

    The World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Friday that an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo was over after no people showed symptoms for two incubation periods since the last case.

    The outbreak, the seventh in the former Zaire since the virus was identified there in 1976, was separate from the one spreading in West Africa, where more than 5,400 people have died, Reuters reports.

    There were 49 deaths out of 66 people infected in the remote northwestern Equateur province during the three-month outbreak, Congolese authorities said last week.

    A WHO spokesman confirmed the figures.

    Two maximum incubation periods of 21 days each must pass with no new cases being detected before the United Nations health agency can declare that an outbreak is finished.

    “Having reached that 42-day mark, the Democratic Republic of Congo is now considered free of Ebola transmission,” the WHO said in a statement.

    “WHO commends the Democratic Republic of Congo’s strong leadership and effective coordination of the response that included rapidly mobilising an expert response team to Jeera County, identifying and monitoring contacts and organizing safe burials,” the WHO said.

  • WHO rates Nigeria 3rd highest TB-burden country

    WHO rates Nigeria 3rd highest TB-burden country

    •Over four million cases expected between 2015 and 2020

    A worrisome picture was painted yesterday when the country launched the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis (TB) Control, 2015 to 2020 and Dissemination of the First National TB Prevalence Survey Report.

    Nigeria was rated the third highest Tuberculosis (TB)-burden country in the world and number one in Africa, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    Given the current 16 per cent TB cases notification rate in the latest Global survey report, the country’s TB treatment gap has also become the highest, accounting for 15 per cent of the global gap.

    Also, at the current rate of transmission and development of Tuberculosis, over four million cases are expected to occur in the country between 2015 and the end of 2020, the report said.

    According to the Global TB report, an approximated one million of the over four million cases would be co-infected with HIV, while 200,000 was expected to have multi-drug resistant TB.

    Speaking at the launch of the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis (TB) Control, 2015 to 2020 and Dissemination of the First National TB Prevalence Survey Report, the WHO country representative to Nigeria, Mr. Rui Gama Vaz, said the survey report had been validated by WHO and other international partners. He added that this was necessary since the survey had revealed the burden of TB in the country, which was almost three times what was previously estimated.

    Vaz noted that Nigeria was the 3rd highest TB burden country in the world and the 1st in  Africa, adding that following the 16 per cent TB cases notification rate, the country’s TB treatment gap had also become the highest, accounting for 15 per cent of the global gap.

    He said the survey also confirmed a worrisome situation with regard to Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

    Based on the global projections, the Supervising Minister of Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, said the country diagnosed and reported only 16 per cent of the estimated TB cases last year.

    He stressed that with this very low TB case detection rate, the country accounted for 15 per cent (about 500,000) of the 3.3 million TB cases that were either not diagnosed or diagnosed but not notified last year.

    According to the survey, “Nigeria is now the 13th highest MDTR-TB burden country globally and the 2nd highest in Africa: with estimated 3,700 cases per year, of which only up to 500 have ever put on treatment.”

    Alhassan said until recently, the burden of TB in Nigeria was based on estimates, adding that it was heart-warming that the Federal Ministry of Health, with the support of development partners, conducted the first national TB prevalence survey in the country.

    He explained that TB is transmitted through the air, which puts everyone at the risk of being infected.

    “With an estimated 9 million new TB cases globally in 2013; TB remains a disease of major public importance.”

    Alhassan said in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, the Federal Ministry of Health and development partners developed a new National Strategic Plan for TB control 2015 to 2020 framed around the National Strategic Health Development Plan.

     

  • Ebola toll rises – WHO

    Ebola toll rises – WHO

    At least 5,177 people are known to have died in the world’s worst recorded Ebola outbreak, the World Health Organization has said, an increase of 17 since its last update on Wednesday.

    The total of 14,413 cases in eight countries includes 1,187 deaths in Sierra Leone, 1,166 in Guinea and 2,812 in Liberia, Reuters reports.

    The Liberian toll has been revised downwards from 2,836 because of reclassification, the United Nations’ health agency said.

  • Ebola death toll rises to 4,950

    Ebola death toll rises to 4,950

    The death toll from the Ebola epidemic has risen to 4,950 out of 13,241 cases in the three worst-hit countries of West Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, calling for widespread rigorous control measures to halt the virus.

    “Case incidence is declining in some districts in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, while steep rises persist in other districts,” Reuters quoted the United Nations agency as saying in a statement on Friday.

    Shoring up defences in states neighbouring the three countries remains “critical,” it said.

     

  • Ebola: Beyond the WHO certification

    Exactly 93 days after the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, was imported into Nigeria, by the late American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, the World Health Organisation, (WHO), certified Nigeria free of the deadly disease. Subsequent to its 42-day observation, the Country Representative of WHO, Dr. Rui Gama Vaz, made the declaration at a ceremony in Abuja. While the Ebola trauma lasted in the country, 19 cases were recorded leaving in its trail eight dead with 11 survivors.

    Aside the number of lives it claimed and the psychological trauma it brought upon the country as a whole, the Ebola ordeal came with lots of economic losses. For instance, First Consultants Clinic, where the late  Sawyer was admitted, was shut down for a considerable period of time, thereby incurring losses in terms of patronage from clients. Night clubs owners and hoteliers are equally counting their losses as patronage went down for the fear of Ebola. Equally, some private schools paid dearly for the Ebola invasion in monetary and psychological terms. In the same manner, ‘bush meat’ sellers had it so bad, as no one was ready to touch bush meats with a long pole since one risk factor for the infection of Ebola Virus has been traced to the consumption of ‘bush meat’.

    As the nation heaves a sigh of relief from the Ebola onslaught, it is important to remember the men and women who fought the deadly virus to a standstill, particularly health workers, even at the risk of their lives. Our hearts go out to relations, friends and colleagues of medical workers who died while combating the virus. We must equally commend the governments and people of Lagos and Rivers states respectively while not forgetting the Federal Ministry of Health, WHO, the press, the US Centre for Disease Control and other development partners for playing integral roles in Nigeria successful containment  of Ebola disease.

    However, in spite of the WHO certification of Nigeria as Ebola free, it s not yet time for celebration, as doing so at this point would be dangerous and foolhardy. This is the time to consolidate on the gains of our triumphant wrestle with the virus. Inasmuch as neighbouring West African nations such as Liberia, Guinea and Sierra-Leone are still grappling with the disease, it remains a threat to the country. Considering the porous nature of the country’s borders, it would not be illogical to think that Ebola Virus could still find its way into the country if we completely loose our guards by thinking that the worst is over.

    That is why we all need to be more alert to ensure that our borders are impregnable. Those who are in charge of our borders need to be alert, more than ever, in discharging their responsibilities. Health workers at the various local and international airports must ensure that people coming into the country are properly screened to determine their Ebola status. Equally, all hospitals in the country need to train more of their medical personnel on how to handle Ebola related cases.

    Similarly, schools across the country must not compromise the current hygiene trend. To do that would be suicidal. Officials must continue to insist on proper hygiene among teachers and students while screening of visitors, staff and students must be a continuous process. It is only in doing this that we would be consolidating on the gains of our bizarre experience with Ebola. Officials from the federal, states and local governments too must continue to pay routine visits to schools in order to ensure compliance with stipulated Ebola preventive measures. Also, we must keep faith with all required hygienic precaution such as regular hand washing.

    Equally, this is the right time to invest heavily in the health sector of the country by supporting local scientists with needed resources to look into ways of finding cure for the Ebola virus. If our scientists could be supported by all stakeholders in the same way we resisted the Ebola virus, Nigeria could score another first in the battle against Ebola, by being the first country to discover effective vaccine for the cure of the virus. This is the kind of enterprise that we must be engaged in now.

    It is equally important that our country lends a helping hand to neighbouring West African countries being ravaged by the disease. We could assist them by providing technical and personnel support. Lagos State is already working in this direction as the government has concluded plans to send some of its health workers, that helped in tackling the virus, to help provide people in Sierra-Leone with the necessary assistance to fight Ebola. In doing this, we are indirectly helping ourselves because we cannot sleep with our two eyes closed unless the whole of Africa is totally free from the scourge of Ebola Virus.

    Perhaps more importantly, everybody must be watchful of their health situation and swiftly report any odd health situation to the nearest medical facility. Failure to do this at the right moment may possibly jeopardize numerous lives. This is not exactly the moment in time to play with health related issues. Every household must continue to preach and imbibe positive hygiene measures to guide against harmful tendencies that could jeopardise family health.

    It is important to agree and work with position of WHO Director General, Dr. Margaret Chan, that: “While the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak is over in Nigeria due to Nigeria’s geographic position and the proximity of its borders to countries with cases of the disease, it is important to continue to be vigilant for any suspected case and to observe a strict compliance with the WHO Ebola disease guidelines. There is need for the Federal Government to continue to work with states to ensure adequate preparedness to rapidly respond to any suspected case”.

    This, indeed, remains the only logical thing to do, as to do otherwise would only show that we have learnt nothing from our recent ordeal with the Ebola Virus. This is not the time to rest on our oars. Rather, this is the time to work tirelessly for the successful elimination of the Ebola Virus in Africa and, indeed, the world. We owe humanity this much.

    • Ibirogba is Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State

  • As Nigeria bids farewell to Ebola

    SIR:The news that the World Health Organization [WHO] has declared Nigeria free of Ebola pandemic is a cheering one. As a nation we need to reflect on the lessons of the struggle against the disease to see how we can use them to face other national challenges.

    For once, there were clear-cut objectives on what the nation wanted to achieve. The government strove hard to inform the populace on the danger of the virus, its ability to spread like wild-fire through contact with infected persons. The information that it kills faster than AIDS/HIV yet without a notable clinical remedy were well understood by the people; this made the whole nation to be on red alert.

    The synergy between the federal and state governments, notably, Lagos and River States marked the triumph of patriotic politics over political pettiness. The governments showed their love for the people by moving fast to arrest the situation, through adequate information and while making funds available to mitigate the surge of the virus – all of these devoid of ethno-political considerations.

    What this tells us is that with sincerity of purpose, we can build a strong united country; that the masses can actually trust their government; more so when they see government actually caring for their welfare. If this relationship can be built upon to tackle corruption, insecurity, unemployment, education, electricity and other major national issues, then the world is awaiting the arrival of the African giant.

    The mastery displayed by the Nigerian medical team in fighting Ebola virus is also instructive; apart from their demonstration of expertise, they restored confidence to the minds of citizens that truly Nigeria parades cream of best hands in the medical and pharmaceutical professions globally. It was a gentle rebuke on the practice of wasting billions of dollars annually on medical tourism.

    The federal government will do well to take advantage of the feat demonstrated by our medical professionals by equipping our hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment to make our hospitals tourist destinations for other nations to come and learn and receive world class medical attention.

    There is also need for the government to improve on the working conditions of health workers to avoid further brain drain to other climes that have seen the great potentials in our medical personnel. Many will only be too ready to give them better conditions of service than the one they are enjoying in Nigeria.

    Most praise-worthy is that Nigerian government faced the challenge of Ebola with an uncommon resolve; there was a determination to kick Ebola out of our shores whether or not we receive support from America and other western nations. What this has taught us is that we can also develop our own local technology and focus on carrying out our own independent researches to produce cures for diseases ravaging the continent.  We can get African solutions to African problems. It is time the government made funds available for researches and production of drugs, instead of depending on foreign assistance and aids that may be delayed or denied; and more often than not, with stringent conditions attached.

     

    • Pastor Mark Debo Taiwo,

    Takie/Idi-Abebe, Ogbomoso.    

     

  • Ebola death toll ‘tops 4,900’

    Ebola death toll ‘tops 4,900’

    The death toll from the Ebola epidemic rose to 4,922 out of 10,141 known cases in eight countries through October 23, the World Health Organization has said.

    The virus, which reached Mali through a two-year-old girl who died on Friday, now threatens Ivory Coast, having infected people virtually all along its borders with Guinea and Liberia.

    Ivory Coast is the world’s biggest cocoa producer. The Ebola outbreak has hurt the economic growth that has been raising living standards in the region, Reuters reports.

    The three worst-hit countries of West Africa – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone – account for the bulk of the world’s worst Ebola outbreak, recording 4,912 deaths out of 10,114 cases, the WHO said in its update.

    The overall figures include outbreaks in Nigeria and Senegal, deemed by the WHO to be now over, as well as isolated cases in Spain, the United States and a single case in Mali.

    But the true toll may be three times as much: by a factor of 1.5 in Guinea, 2 in Sierra Leone and 2.5 in Liberia, while the death rate is thought to be about 70 percent of all cases.

    The WHO has said that many families are keeping infected people at home rather than putting them into isolation in treatment centres, some of which have refused patients due to a lack of beds and basic supplies.

  • Ebola: Official WHO death toll near 5,000

    Ebola: Official WHO death toll near 5,000

    At least 4,877 people have died in the world’s worst recorded outbreak of Ebola, and at least 9,936 cases of the disease had been recorded as of October 19, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, but the true toll may be three times as much.

    The WHO has said real numbers of cases are believed to be much higher than reported: by a factor of 1.5 in Guinea, 2 in Sierra Leone and 2.5 in Liberia, while the death rate is thought to be about 70 percent of all cases. That would suggest a toll of almost 15,000.

    Liberia has been worst hit, with 4,665 recorded cases and 2,705 deaths, followed by Sierra Leone with 3,706 cases and 1,259 deaths. Guinea, where the outbreak originated, has had 1,540 cases and 904 deaths, Reuters reports.

    On Friday the WHO put the toll about 300 lower with more than 745 fewer cases.

    In the past week, transmission of the disease was most intense in the capital cities of Monrovia and Freetown, while Guinea’s capital Conakry reported 18 confirmed cases, its second highest weekly total since the outbreak began.

    Although Ebola has been contained in Nigeria and Senegal, the disease is spreading towards Ivory Coast in both Liberia and Guinea, including in Guinea’s Kankan district on a major trade route with Mali. Kankan saw its first case in the past week.

    However, the WHO said the Liberian district of Lofa had seen a third consecutive week of decline in the number of cases, which reports from observers suggested was a result of disease control measures.

    Among the thousands of cases are 443 health care workers, 244 of whom have died. The WHO said it was undertaking extensive investigations to determine why so many had caught the disease.