How Low Drugs Production In Nigeria Impedes Epidemics Control

In the following article, Wole Oyebade and Femi Adekoya looks at the root cause of the inability of Nigerian federal government in tackling outbreaks of epidemics in the country and its dire consequences on the citizens.

The inability of the Federal Government to manage disease outbreaks in the country, occasioned by the lack of political will and low capacity in local drug manufacturing, poses a serious threat to citizens’ well-being and the nation’s economic growth.

The cases of epidemics such as meningitis, Lassa Fever, Ebola, pneumonia, polio and yellow fever in different parts of the country have shown its low level of preparedness to tackle a health crisis even when it comes with grave consequences.

With manufacturers and operators in the backward integration plan possessing capacities to produce mainly antibiotics and antimalarials, there are concerns about the value government places on the well-being of the citizenry, healthcare and the economy, when it has to continue relying on external support to tackle local challenges.


Already, experts put the cost of producing vaccines locally in the range of N6 billion if the indigenous industries get government support, thus helping to save an import bill of $1.1 billion that government seeks to spend on procuring vaccines to fight meningitis in the five most affected states.

Local drug manufacturers believe that any country incapable of determining how its medicines are made is a disaster waiting to happen, noting that the Ebola experience where Nigeria was denied supplies should make anyone who still considers dependence on other nations for critical issues such as access to medicines to come to terms with reality.

So far, government has accessed 1.3 million vaccines from the World Health Organisation (WHO), but still not sufficient to address the threat posed by the spread of the meningitis scourge in 16 states, prompting experts to call for a homegrown solution to salvage the situation once and for all.

With roughly 30 per cent local production capacity alongside heavy dependence on the importation of critical raw materials, mainly active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and machinery inputs as well as competition from a poorly regulated market, indices point to the nation’s inability to manage emergency.

Specifically, no fewer than 760 Nigerians have been killed in the last couple of weeks from the fresh outbreak, especially in the northern part of the country. Also, since last December, about 53 deaths have been recorded from 196 cases of Lassa Fever in nine states.

Similarly, vaccine-preventable pneumonia-related fatalities continue to kill no less than 20 children hourly. Statistics have it that 200,000 children die yearly of pneumonia which is the major cause of deaths among under-five kids in Nigeria.

While operators remain divided over the suitability or otherwise of drug importation, the budgetary allocation, however, reflects a seemingly unpleasant situation where most of the funds go for overheads.
Health votes have over the years maintained the same pattern amid unfulfilled promises of a better healthcare delivery by successive administrations. For instance, the sector’s allocation in the 2017 appropriation bill pending before the National Assembly is N304 billion, a paltry 4.17 per cent of the total N7.298 trillion budget size.

By implication, each Nigerian is to spend N1,688 on healthcare for the entire year. In fact, capital expenditure was allocated N51 billion (representing 2.78 per cent), a far cry from the 15 per cent benchmark for African countries to enable them to catch up with the advanced countries.

The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Ahmed Yakassai, noted that the dearth of vaccines was not due to lack of capacity locally but denial of approvals by government over the years.

He explained that vaccine production was public sector-driven and highly capital intensive, costing as much N6 billion.Yakassai claimed that May and Baker has been itching to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government in the last 50 years to take over a facility in Yaba for the production of a yellow fever vaccine without success.

A former chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Sam Ohuabunwa, blamed government’s bureaucracy and tardiness in getting progammes and policies implemented for the challenge.

He added that he was not unaware of government’s plan to partner the private sector on the matter but for the redtapism among officials.He urged government to not only support manufacturers with investment in infrastructure to enhance production, but also prioritise procurement of local products to stimulate more investments from the private sector.

The Chairman of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP), Gbenga Falabi, said though it is cheaper to import, “ we all have the responsibility to grow this economy and we can only do that if we produce locally.”

He pledged the commitment of members to local manufacturing to reverse the import-dependent narrative about pharmaceutical needs in the country.To the Executive Secretary of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), Dr. Obi Adigwe, government must come up with good policies to revive the nation’s drug manufacturing sector.

He noted that capacity utilisation had been at a low level of 25 per cent.Nigeria was ranked lowest on the health governance capacity (HGC) index in a recent survey conducted by Brookings Institution to assess 18 nations in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia by examining 25 indicators related to management capacity, regulatory processes, health infrastructure and financing as well as systems and policy conditions.


 The nation scored low on infrastructure and financing, management capacity and health systems, indicating that targeted efforts to improve those areas could have a significant impact on their ability to absorb new investments relevant to global health goals.

Adigwe, however, explained that the sector had witnessed a slight increase in the index due to the 2015 fiscal policies.“Our situation was what was obtainable in Bangladesh a few years ago. The manufacturers in that country, through good government policies have been able to increase their capacity utilisation and now supply 97 per cent of the local market share. Additionally, they started exporting to the United States and Europe, earning serious foreign exchange.

“We need good government policies. Local manufacturers can supply up to 80 per cent of the medicines used in Nigeria. Imagine one of our members had to start giving out drugs freely to avoid waste. He has capacity to produce 908 million tablets of Amozil in a year, three times the capacity of what Nigeria needs in a year. He ends up giving them away free of charge to avoid the drugs expiring in the stores,” he added.

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Herbal Cure For Fibroid: Two Amazing Testimonies

Pregnant In 3 Months After Taken
Herbal Medicine For Fibroid

I have been trying to conceive for 2 years with no success. My doctor told me that my fibroids so big they were stopping me from getting pregnant, and I would never have a child unless I had surgery.

I didn't like what he was saying, so I searched the internet for natural treatments for fibroids. I found a particular herbal remedy and looked at all the testimonials, everything looked good so I ordered it and the Body Cleanse Kit.

It arrived very quickly and I began to take it. Within 3 months of taking them, my period stopped, so I took a pregnancy test.

I WAS PREGNANT!!! I am so happy!!

My latest scan showed that the fibroid had shrunk to the size of an egg, and the pregnancy is going really well. I'm now taking AlkaGreens Plus to keep the fibroid small while I am pregnant.

I am recommending natural remedy to all of my friends who have fibroids. I have a friend in Haiti who was supposed to have surgery in June, but I have paid for the same natural medicine that I used to be sent to her, so she can have the same results as me.

Thank you so much!

 The Fibroids Pain Felt Like I Was Going To Die
But Natural Medicine Gives Me Beautiful Periods Now!

I have 4cm fibroid at the bottom of my uterus which caused me a lot of pain.

Ever since my period started, I would have to stay in bed for 2 to 3 days: the pain was so bad, I thought I was going to die! No painkiller or drug could help me with that pain.

I also use to get a Urinary Tract Infection every month, and I couldn't even pee. There was one month where the pain and inflammation got so bad, I could not pee at all for days.

When I went to see my Naturopathic Doctor about my periods, he told me that the fibroids were the cause, and he recommended a Herbal medicine

I have been taking it for 3 months and it's helped me a lot. I now have beautiful periods... no pain, no inflammation, no cramping.

Thank you so much.
Do you have fibroid? has the doctor told you that you cannot conceive unless you undergo surgery? you dont need to worry. You can be cured of fibroid with natural medicine. To get results proven NAFDAC approved herbal medicines for fibroid, call +2347031040178.

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White Wine Could Cause Skin Infections - New Study

Scientists have raised the alarm that white wine could raise the risk for women to develop rosacea, a skin disorder. According to findings of the new research published online in a Journal of ‘American Academy of Dermatology’, women with certain drinking patterns had a higher risk of developing rosacea, an inflammatory skin condition.

 Study senior author Wen-Qing Li, an assistant professor of dermatology and epidemiology at Brown University, United States, U.S., said, “We found white wine and liquor were significantly associated with a higher risk of rosacea.”


Rosacea is a long term skin condition characterised by facial redness, small and superficial dilated blood vessels on facial skin, papules, pustules, and swelling. Rosacea typically begins as redness on the central face across the cheeks, nose, or forehead, but can also less commonly affect the neck, chest, ears, and scalp. Rosacea causes redness and flushing on the face and the neck. In some forms, acnelike outbreaks can form, and visible blood vessels can appear.
Genetics can play a role in the development of rosacea. In those with acnelike rosacea, their immune system may be reacting to a single bacterium, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Among famous faces of rosacea are Bill Clinton, former president of the U.S. and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
However, while red wine is often pinpointed as the beverage that can trigger rosacea flushing, Li said that that information tends to come from reports by patients who already have the disorder.

 The new research focused on alcohol’s role in the development of rosacea. Li’s team evaluated nearly 83,000 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study II from 1991 to 2005. The researchers collected information on alcohol intake every four years during a follow-up of 14 years. Over that time, nearly 5,000 new cases of rosacea occurred.
 “For white wine, compared to never drinkers, [those who drank] one to three drinks per month had a 14 per cent increased risk of rosacea. For five or more white wines a week, risk increased by 49 per cent,” Li said.

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While Fibroid Is A Disease Of Black People - Dr. Bola Olaosebikan, MD/CEO Healthcare Herbal Products

In the Nigerian natural health industry, Healthcare Herbal Products occupies a front roll seat. The company has become an indigenous house hold name herbal products development and manufacturing organization. The Vision of the company, which has been in existence for the past 35 years, is to be the foremost herbal health products provider in Nigeria, Africa and the world. This goal is gradually being achieved as products from the company continues to make waves across continents – A fact that made the global cable network, CNN, to feature a documentary on Healthcare Herbal Products for five days.

In this interview with Nigeria Natural Online editor, Dumbiri Frank Eboh, the founder of Healthcare Herbal Products, Dr. Bola Olaosebikan, speaks on the making of the Healthcare brand, the various herbal formulations in its kitty as well as issues bothering the practices of natural medicine in Nigeria. Excerpts.

On Himself

My name is Dr. Bola Olaosebikan OON, the founder of Healthcare Herbal Products, Healthcare Publications Limited and Healthcare Resources. It’s a conglomerate of health organisations promoting health and also giving out herbal products so that people can enjoy natural health. Healthcare has been on for 30 years, the herbal aspect has been on for 15 years. In all, we have 15 products all approved and registered by NAFDAC. Personally, I am a medical doctor, I graduated in 1981 from the University of Ibadan. I have practiced as a doctor for 35 years. I have also found out that alternative medicines are also important; so I studied it and began to produce herbal based products and today, Healthcare products are known all over the world.

Combining Science and Nature

As a doctor who studied in Nigeria, I know the disease pattern in Nigeria, something we called Epidemiology. At Healthcare, we combine science and nature. Some of the diseases that are prevalent in Nigeria include hypertension, diabetics, obesity and so many others. In terms of family health, Many women are facing issues relating to Fibroid, which is actually a tumor growing inside the womb. And it has now been discovered that Fibroid is a disease that affects only black people, white women do not have it. This may be due to something in our skin that also makes us to have colloids, which makes the tissue in the skin of black people stronger and tougher than that of the white. For various reasons, a woman’s hormones may not be balanced or she does not take in on time and the uterus now grows false pregnancy. We have medicine that prevents, reduces and destroys fibroid.

Sometimes you found that the tube of a woman is blocked. I mean the Fallopian tube where the eggs pass through. We have developed up to four products to help women with blocked fallopian tube. On the side of the men, there are also issues relating to fertility, especially low sperm count. Of course you know that without sperm, a woman cannot get pregnant no matter how fertile she is. The sperm must come in to meet the egg before fertilization can take place. In Nigeria, about 40 to 50 percent of men have low sperm count. This is most times due to stress, environmental factors, changes in temperature occasioned by climate change. Even the cloth that people put on can contribute to low sperm count; people who wear light or nylon pants are prone to low sperm count. At Healthcare, we have developed particular products to solve the problem of sperm count as well as a host of other fertility issues facing men.

Specific Products For Specific Problems

Our products are focused of taking care of specific, particular problems. Even where a woman is not ovulating, we have a solution for it. A woman should ovulate and get pregnant one day in a year. What I mean is: the day a woman ovulates is the day she is ripe to get pregnant and a woman can get pregnant only once in a year if nothing happens to that pregnancy. Many women don’t ovulate or ovulate irregularly. Apart from these, a woman may ovulate and the ovulation may not stand, leading to implantation. Is like when you are trying to build a house, there must be good blocks and good cementing otherwise the structure would not stand. Some women face this problem wherein even if the egg is released, it is not planted in the wall of the womb. At Healthcare, we have a medicine that addresses that problem.

The Case For Infections

We also have products that tackle infections. Infections such as bacteria infections, virile infections, paracific infections; urinary track infections, all of which cause one form of disease or the other in the human body – we have medicines that take care them. Even the one that is called staphylococcus have been conquered here by our herbal formulation. For many years, people were calling me, asking me to formulate a natural cure for staphylococcus because orthodox medicines have tried in vain to battle it.  But we have successful brought staph on its knees here.

We have products for typhoid and malaria. These are tropical diseases which are found only here. Europeans don’t have malaria or typhoid because these are diseases of the tropics. Of course I must tell you that the best medicine for malaria is natural medicine, not chemical products because these have failed over the years to solve the problems of malaria. This is a scientific fact.

Boosting The Body’s Immunity

We also have products that boost immunity. Immunity is something that God has put in our body to fight against diseases and infections. This immunity sometimes is bought down and the body can no longer fight harmful invaders. You must not also forget that the Father of Medicine, a man called Hippocrates once advised that our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food. In those days, of course there were no drugs – treatments were basically and mainly nutritional. And till this day, that facts has not changed. Herbs that come inform of good, fruits and vegetables are actually what the body needs to boost its immunity. And this immunity is something we must consciously boost at all times whether or not we are ill. You don’t wait until you get sick before you defend your body. It is much the same way that a country cannot wait until there is a war before it can constitute its armed forces to defend the territory. We have immune boosters that help to rejuvenate the cells and fortify the body against foreign invaders.

Alleviating Bone Pains, Irregular Menstruation

We have medicine for bone pains. You know that as people age, their bones becomes weaker and weaker. We have supplements that help the bones take care of back pains, take care of joint pains. If somebody has a fracture it can also help to heal it.

There is also a solution for women who do not menstruate or who have irregular menstruation. A lot of women are suffering in silence because of this problem but at Healthcare, we have a solution for it. And thank God our product are appreciated not only the Nigeria and Africa but in several other continent of the world. The CNN was here two years ago to interview me and showcase my products to the whole world. For five days that programme was running in CNN and the video of Healthcare Herbal Products is also in the website of CNN for anybody to go and see. They came, not because we invited them but because of what they have been hearing about Healthcare Herbal Products…

(TO BE COTINUED NEXT WEEK’S WEDNESDAY)

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NAFDAC Uncovers N200 Million Worth Of Fake Drinks

The health risks which Nigerians are exposed to have once again been highlighted as The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has uncovered fake and unregistered products valued at over N200 million.

The products, confiscated through a whistle-blower’s report, were stocked in a building at 11, Omotosho Crescent, off Ewedana Street, Toll Gate, Ota in Ogun State. The building also served as production outlet for bitters with fake NAFDAC registration numbers.

At a briefing in Lagos yesterday, Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, explained that the building is a bungalow of five bedrooms, with two residential rooms, while the other three, the parlour and the kitchen were used for production of unregistered, deceptive and counterfeit products.

Oni, who was represented by the Director, Port Inspectorate, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor, gave the name of the owner (withheld), adding that the products were being produced in a dirty environment by unqualified personnel.

According to her, empty plastic bottles, caps, cartons and sticker labels of other products were also found in the facility, while the address on the labels of all the products were fake.

Oni said the agency also raided Ogbaru Relief Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they discovered several shops used for the production, distribution, sale and storage of fake and counterfeit alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks of various popular brands valued at over N200 million.

The drinks, she noted, were produced by manual mixing in plastic buckets and filled into bottles under unhygienic conditions.

As most of the bitters produced in Nigeria are alcohol based, experts have warned on the health dangers of consuming fake alcohol based products. Properly produced and certified alcoholic drinks are made with ethanol – alcohol that’s safe to drink in moderation. But fake alcoholic drinks can be produced using other cheaper types of alcohol which can have serious adverse effects on your health. 

Drinkaware’s Chief Medical Advisor Professor Paul Wallace explains: “Commonly used substitutes for ethanol include chemicals used in cleaning fluids, nail polish remover and automobile screen wash, as well as methanol and isopropanol which are used in antifreeze and some fuels. These other types of alcohol can produce similar effects to ethanol in terms of making you feel tipsy. But they are also potentially very dangerous.” 

Drinking alcohol containing these chemicals can cause nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, drowsiness and dizziness. It can also lead to kidney or liver problems and even coma. Methanol, a substance which can be used in fake vodka, may cause permanent blindness.

“Drinking illegally produced alcohol should be avoided at all costs,” says Dr Wallace. “You don’t know what’s in it in terms of the actual chemicals – and you don’t know the strength of what you're drinking because it’s not been produced to the standards of commercial alcohol.” 

Jeremy Beadles, former Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, believes most consumers won’t come across fake alcohol and says that it’s important to keep the problem in perspective. “The vast majority of alcohol is produced and sold legitimately,” he says. “Most pubs, corner shops, off licenses and other retailers are completely legitimate businesses and wouldn’t get involved with it.”

However, it’s important to know how to spot—and avoid—fake alcohol if you do come across it. 

According to the Trading Standards Institute, people need to remember ‘the 4 Ps’: Place, Price, Packaging and Product. 

Place: Make sure you buy from a reputable supermarket, off licence or shop.

Price: If a deal looks too good to be true, it most probably is.

Packaging: Look out for:

1. Poor quality labelling, including things like spelling mistakes. 
2. UK duty stamp—spirits in bottles 35cl or larger and 30% ABV or higher have to have a duty stamp, which indicates that tax has either been paid or is due to be paid on the contents of the bottle. They’re usually incorporated into the label or stuck on the glass. If it’s not there, it’s illegal
3. Properly sealed caps. If the seal is broken, don’t drink it. Even if it’s not illegal, it could have been tampered with. 
4. Fake bar codes. If you have an app on your mobile that scans bar codes, scan it and see if it’s listed as the correct product.

Product: Look out for fake versions of well-known brands and be wary of unusual brand names you haven’t seen before. Vodka, the most commonly counterfeited spirit, shouldn’t have any white particles or sediment in the bottle. If you see this, the vodka could have been diluted with tap water. If any alcohol tastes or smells bad, don't drink it. Particularly look out for the smell of nail varnish.

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More Sex Improves Mental Health

Scientists have alerted that having more sex could seriously boost wellbeing by strengthening immune systems, lowering blood pressure and even boosting memories. These findings were drawn from several studies. Drawing from the findings of several studies, scientists uncovered many ways sexual activities boosts healthy living.

According to scientists from Wilkes University, Pennsylvania in the United States, U.S., having sex once or twice a week increases antibody levels in humans by 30 per cent.
 
This is thought to be due to sexually active people being more exposed to bacteria and viruses, resulting in greater antibody release.

An antibody (Ab), also known as an immunoglobulin (Ig), is a large, Y-shaped protein produced mainly by plasma cells that is used by the immune system to neutralise pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.
Antibodies are proteins used by the immune system to protect against colds and flu. Similarly, getting active sexually increases heart rate, which peaks during an orgasm.

Men in their 50s who have sex at least twice a week have a 45 per cent reduced risk of heart disease, according to scientists at New England Research Institutes, Massachusetts in the United States,U.S. A study by Michigan State University found women aged between 57 and 85 who still enjoyed sex were less likely to have high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
 
According to the researchers at the University of Munster, Germany, migraine sufferers report a 60 per cent improvement in pain after sexual activity. Cluster headaches, which cause excruciating pain in one side of the face, improve by 37 per cent.

“Sex triggers the release of ‘feel good’ hormones called endorphins that relieve pain,” added the researchers.
In a related study, scientists at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland found that men who ejaculate at least 21 times a month are a third less likely to develop the disease than men who only release four to seven times.

Frequent ejaculation may allow the prostate to clear out cancer-causing substances or it may prevent the development of calcium deposits, which are associated with prostate cancer.

Furthermore, sex releases a cocktail of chemicals in the brain, including oxytocin and prolactin and the combination of the two are thought to aid relaxation, helping affected persons to nod off.

Scientists at the University of Paisley, Scotland found that people who had recently had sex had lower blood pressure when public speaking than those who had not had intercourse in the past fortnight.

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