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CAR Gets Malaria Vaccine From Gavi

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10 months ago

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UNICEF’s milestone achievement in child survival has been marked by the successful delivery of over 43,000 doses of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine to the Central African Republic (CAR) via air transport.

This delivery is just the beginning, as an additional 120,000 doses are set to arrive in the coming days.

CAR became the first country to receive the R21 malaria vaccine for routine childhood immunization, a significant step forward in the fight against malaria and the protection of children’s lives.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the use of the R21 vaccine, making it the second malaria vaccine to receive such recognition for children living in areas where the disease is endemic. Alongside the RTS,S vaccine, there is now an ample supply of vaccines available to scale up malaria vaccination efforts in Africa. The funding for the rollout of both vaccines is provided by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Leila Pakkala, the Director of UNICEF Supply Division, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “With the availability of two products, we now have the means to significantly improve child survival and overall health. Previous concerns regarding vaccine supply meeting demand are now a thing of the past. Our main focus is to ensure that every child at risk receives these life-saving vaccines.”

Both the R21 and RTS,S vaccines have proven to be safe and effective in preventing malaria in children. The RTS,S vaccine has already been administered to over 2 million children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi during a successful four-year pilot program, which resulted in a 13% reduction in all-cause mortality.

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Malaria remains one of the deadliest diseases globally, claiming the lives of nearly half a million children under the age of 5 in Africa each year.

The Central African Republic is particularly burdened by malaria, experiencing one of the highest rates of malaria incidence worldwide. In 2022 alone, the country reported an estimated 1,733,000 malaria cases, averaging around 4,747 cases per day. Tragically, the disease also claimed approximately 5,180 lives throughout the year, equating to 14 deaths per day.

Dr. Sania Nishtar, the CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, emphasized the significance of having two safe and effective vaccines available, stating, “Greater supply security and the ability to meet countries’ needs are the most crucial factors. It is imperative that countries with the highest potential for impact can access these vaccines, saving thousands of lives annually and providing relief to families, communities, and entire healthcare systems.”

In addition to the Central African Republic, other countries such as Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Uganda are actively preparing to receive R21 vaccine shipments.

The RTS,S vaccine has already been delivered to eight countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone. These countries have integrated the vaccine into their routine child immunization programs as part of their national malaria control plans. Burundi and Niger are next on the list to receive RTS,S shipments.

The delivery of vaccines to countries, which is made possible through the support of the Vaccine Alliance, depends on government requests and readiness to incorporate the vaccines into routine immunization programs.

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Gavi, UNICEF, WHO, and other partners are working together to assist governments in their preparations for receiving and implementing the vaccines. This includes supporting countries in developing vaccine implementation plans and communication strategies, providing training for healthcare workers and engaging with communities, as well as ensuring sufficient cold chain capacity.

Dr. Kate O’Brien, the Director of WHO’s Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, highlighted the importance of malaria vaccines in comprehensive national malaria control plans. She stated, “The introduction of malaria vaccines, alongside other interventions such as bed nets, indoor residual spraying, chemoprevention, diagnosis, and prompt treatments, will significantly reduce childhood mortality caused by malaria. With the inclusion of the R21 vaccine in country immunization programs alongside the RTS,S vaccine, the scale-up of malaria vaccination across Africa, where malaria remains a leading cause of childhood death, will continue. The demand for malaria vaccines also presents an opportunity to administer other childhood vaccines, further increasing the number of lives saved.”

Malaria vaccines are a crucial addition to the fight against this disease. Careful planning is essential to ensure the successful introduction and integration of these vaccines, along with other interventions, in order to maximize their impact on public health.”

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Pharmaceutical Firms Want FG To Relax Regulatory Laws

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3 days ago

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March 23, 2025

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Pharmaceutical companies across the world have appealed to the Federal Government to relax the law guiding the setting up of industries in Nigeria.

The pharmaceutical companies wanted the federal government to grant them opportunities to set up manufacturing facilities in Nigeria in order to deepen their market penetration in the pharmaceutical/healthcare sector.

The, firms who are currently exhibitors in Nigeria, also called on the Federal Government to remove the hurdles put on the way by some of its regulatory agencies like National Administration for Food Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

The appeal was made by pharmaceutical companies present at the Pharma West Africa Exhibition, which is the West Africa’s largest trade event dedicated to improving access to quality medicines.

The exhibition, which was organised by Trade Show Organisation of Nigeria from March 18 to 20 2025, was held at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, and attended by exhibitors from over 50 countries around the world.

According to Mr. Simranjit Singh Gandhi, the founder and director of Aprazer Healthcare Private Limited in India, he said this was their first time of being at the event. He, however, promised to have a discussion with the Nigerian regulatory agencies in order to make available their products in the country.

“This is our first time in Lagos, Nigeria, and it is great,” he said.

“We have some businesses to seal but we want people to see the big opportunities in this Pharma West Africa because this is a very big event.

“This is a great opportunity because Nigeria is a great market, to be honest. We are here to have discussions with NAFDAC, have discussions with business associates so that our products can be available in Nigeria in a legitimate manner.

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“We want to be part of the Nigerian market and make sure our products are here to help the country in areas needed,” he said.

Gandhi further disclosed that they saw an opportunity from Pharma West Africa to participate in the exhibition.

According to Gandhi, “This is a very big event. Nigeria is a very big market. We discovered that there are a lot of areas that have not been explored. So, we are here to meet business associates in order for our products to be known in Nigeria in a legitimate manner and to provide pharmaceutical products to Nigerians at affordable price. We will continue to attend the exhibition, and we will always support the event and partner the organisers. “

Also speaking, Victor Chinedum, the Vice President (Commercial and Branding), PureLife Health, whose company came up with a platform to help connect the people with healthcare experts, said the innovation would help to integrate various aspects of primary healthcare, including health and wellness products, vaccinations, diagnostics, specialist consultations, and medication delivery.

He said; “We are utilising technology to address hitherto difficult medical processes. We are serving as a platform for all primary healthcare activities, from medical doctors to diagnostics, to pharmacists and we are making sure that individuals that have access to this app can have access to all these primary healthcare drivers on one platform.

“We are here at Pharma West Africa because it is one of the largest gatherings of pharmaceutical stakeholders and this is a veritable platform to connect with business owners, to companies. We feel that if we want to make it easier for people to access their health, why can’t we create a general platform whereby they would have access to all these things at a go and so this is good because at the comfort of your home, you can list orders. At the comfort of your home, you can see the doctor, run diagnoses and get prescriptions.

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“This is because four out of every ten Nigerians do not completely care for their health, so we saw all these loopholes and decided to make healthcare accessibility easy for them by coming up with this,” he said.

On his own, Mr Kausher Nayabali of KNA, a group of companies, spoke on their mission in Lagos for the Pharma West Africa.

“We are into many sectors like pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, FMCG appliances. It is about a 100 years old company. We are in Nigeria for exhibition with our products and we want to offer these products to Nigerian people at an affordable price.

“We are enjoying our presence here and hope to be here for second time. We are looking to discuss with big importers and we can also produce our products right here. Because of logistics, we at times have issues bringing our products here but we can produce them here. We have been dominating the market for the past 15 years and we want to do the same in Nigeria.

“If we have good support from Nigeria, we can do more. Nigeria is one of the strongest economies in Africa with a big population, so we can help Nigerians to get good quality products at reasonable prices.”

Speaking on the exhibition, Kieran Westlake, the Exhibition Manager for Pharma West Africa, said the idea behind the event which began in 2024, is to create a platform for exhibitors to meet and network as local and foreign companies in pharmaceutical business.

According to Westlake, so far, Pharma West Africa is meeting the objective following the success of the event.

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Jamie Hill, Founder and Managing Director of Trade Show Organisers of Nigeria, said in his opening remarks at the opening of the three days exhibition that: “We are delighted to be hosting Pharma West Africa again after having such positive feedback from the launch event in 2024.

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FG reviews national culture policy after 37 years

Published

4 days ago

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March 22, 2025

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Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has said work is at final stage in the review of Nigeria’s National Policy on Culture.

The minister said in a statement on Friday in Abuja, that this was coming 37 years after the last review.

Musawa said the exercise was in collaboration with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

”The document was last reviewed in 1988, and has remained in draft form for over 37 years in spite of its significance in shaping Nigeria’s cultural and creative industries.

”A Cultural Policy Drafting Committee was inaugurated in July 2024, comprising over 100 members, divided into sub-groups to research, develop, and refine the policy framework.

”The committee successfully completed the virtual drafting process in December 2024, leading to the need for a physical drafting exercise to consolidate and refine the document,” she said.

She explained that the final stage was to get the policy ready for Stakeholders Engagement and Validation exercise before submission to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.

“In recognition of the urgency of the reforms, the ministry initiated the comprehensive review process, ensuring that Nigeria’s cultural framework aligns with global best practices and reflects the evolving creative economy.

“This initiative reflects the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to cultural development under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” she said.

According to her, national policy on culture serves as a legal framework guiding the preservation, promotion, and development of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.

She noted that the review will ensure that the policy reflects contemporary trends, particularly the shift from a creative industry to a creative economy.

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Musawa further said that the ministry’s partnership with NESG and UNESCO had been instrumental in ensuring a well-structured and inclusive review process.

“Through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2024, NESG has provided research, technical support, and stakeholder engagement strategies to ensure that the final policy meets both national and international standards.

“Additionally, UNESCO’s technical assistance has played a key role in training Ministry staff and NESG representatives to align the revised policy with global best practices.

“The organisation has facilitated workshops and provided expert guidance to ensure that Nigeria’s policy supports the growth of the creative economy while preserving cultural heritage,” she said.

Also speaking, a facilitator at NESG, Ikenna Nwosu, who participated in the policy drafting process said: ”for 37 years, this policy remained unchanged despite the rapid transformation of the cultural and creative sectors.

“Ideally, such policies should be reviewed every five to 10 years. What we are witnessing today is a long-overdue intervention.

“The industry has moved far ahead of governance, and this exercise is an essential step in ensuring that policies catch up with the sector’s economic potential.

“The minister’s leadership in driving this review is commendable, as it will reposition our cultural sector as a key contributor to Nigeria’s GDP.”(NAN)

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Lassa Fever cases decline in Nigeria, fatality rate remains high – NCDC

Published

1 week ago

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March 17, 2025

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Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a decline in new confirmed Lassa fever cases in its Epidemiological Week 9 2025 report.

The NCDC via its official website on Sunday, said that the fatality rate remained alarmingly high at 18.7 per cent, with 100 deaths recorded so far in 2025.

According to the Lassa Fever Situation Report released by the agency, 29 new cases were confirmed across nine states, a drop from 54 cases recorded in the previous week (Week 8).

It said that the affected states included Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Plateau, Cross River, Nasarawa, and Enugu.

The NCDC highlighted that 72 per cent of all confirmed cases were reported from just three states—Ondo 31 per cent, Bauchi 24 per cent, and Edo 17 per cent.

It said that these states continued to bear the brunt of the outbreak, raising concerns over the effectiveness of ongoing containment efforts.

Furthermore, it noted that one new healthcare worker was infected in Week 9, bringing the total number of affected health workers in 2025 to 17.

“This underscores the urgent need for better protective measures, adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPEs), and enhanced infection prevention protocols in hospitals,” it said.

The NCDC outlined several challenges impacting the response to the outbreak, including: “Late presentation of cases, leading to high fatality rates”.

“Poor health-seeking behaviour, attributed to the high cost of Lassa fever treatment and management.

“Poor environmental sanitation conditions in high-burden communities and low awareness about Lassa fever symptoms and preventive measures”.

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In response to the outbreak, it said that the National Rapid Response Team (NRRT) had been deployed to Gombe, Nasarawa, and Benue states to provide technical support.

Additionally, the NCDC said it had intensified risk communication efforts and conducted training for healthcare workers in Bauchi, Ebonyi, and Benue states.

The agency said it was also collaborating with international partners such as WHO, MSF Geneva, and Georgetown Global Health Nigeria to improve case management and enhance surveillance.

Comparative data from the NCDC showed that while the number of confirmed cases in 2025 (535 cases as of Week 9) is lower than in 2024 (682 cases during the same period), the fatality rate remains nearly the same (18.7% vs. 18.8%).

“The NCDC continues to advise Nigerians to: “avoid contact with rodents and their droppings, store food properly to prevent contamination, and seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding,” it reported.

Meanwhile, Public Health experts said this called for more proactive measures to address gaps in early detection, treatment affordability, and public awareness to reduce mortality rates in future outbreaks.

They urged state governments, donor agencies, and community leaders to intensify awareness campaigns and improve healthcare infrastructure in Lassa fever hotspots.

As Nigeria battles this recurrent public health challenge, experts emphasised the need for long-term investments in disease surveillance, public health education, and improved access to treatment to curb future outbreaks.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus, primarily spread through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine, faeces, or saliva of infected rodents.

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Human-to-human transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings, with inadequate infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.

Nigeria records Lassa fever cases year-round, with peak transmission occurring between October and May.

The high burden of the disease is linked to widespread rodent infestations, poor sanitation, and a lack of awareness in many communities.

Efforts to combat Lassa fever in the country include: surveillance and early detection, case management, and public health awareness campaigns.

In spite of these efforts, Lassa fever remains a significant public health challenge, with high mortality rates and the potential for international spread, as seen in the recent report. (NAN)

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