Sen Ned Nwoko, Chairman, Prince Ned Nwoko Foundation for Malaria Eradication and the Community, has alleged that Western Pharmaceutical Companies are not interested in helping Nigeria eradicate malaria from the country.
Nwoko said this on Monday in Abuja, at a malaria vaccine workshop organised by the Foundation.
He said that they were interested in their profits from the sale of malaria drugs to Nigeria over the health of Nigerians.
The theme of the workshop is: “Building and Strengthening Sustainable Malaria Vaccine Ecosystem in Nigeria”.
He said that in view of this, the need for a malaria vaccine production plant in Nigeria and indeed Africa had become imperative.
According to him, because malaria is an African problem, they show little interest.
“As a matter of fact, they make more money selling their drugs to us.
“There are many types of drugs. Most of them are also not entirely safe after long-term use, as this creates problems for the body in general, kidney, liver, you name it.
“But that’s not their concern. For European and Western societies, their concern is profit over health.”
He noted that no fewer than 600,000 lives are lost to malaria annually, with the bulk of the figure from Africa.
Nwoko added that if malaria were to be a European problem, by now they would have discovered vaccines for it.
“They would have discovered vaccines, put in the money, the effort and the resources.
“They know that if we discover vaccines, their drugs will no longer be needed in Africa. And so the companies will fold up, or they will lose many of their workers.
“This is why our governments in Nigeria and Africa should put the people first, and invest heavily to achieve this. It is something that is achievable,” he said.
Nwoko stressed that every government should be involved in eradicating malaria, adding that it should not be a private venture.
He said that over the years, he had spent about 20 million dollars on research for malaria vaccine and eradication.
Nwoko said that as a lawmaker, his bill seeking to establish an agency that would focus solely on malaria research and eradication was before the Senate.
He said that with the agency, there would be more funding as it would collaborate with the presidential team.
Nwoko said that a public hearing on the bill would take place before July.
Dr Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health, said that the present administration was not only about promoting the elimination of malaria but also to use vaccines as a tool to achieve this result.
Pate was represented by Dr Godwin Ntadom, Director, Public Health in the ministry.
He said that with Nigeria contributing more than seven per cent of the number of global cases and deaths due to malaria, it must begin the initiation of production.
The minister said that the foundation was placing this trade in line with the government’s agenda.
‘’Beyond this, it demonstrates the passion; the chairman of the foundation has for the reduction of child mortality in the country,’’ he said.
In a presentation titled ‘’Malaria Vaccine Advocacy and Community Engagement’’ Dr Michael Nwoko, Director, Malaria Vaccine project of the foundation, said that the workshop aims to chart a course to actualise the project.
He said that the workshop powered by the Foundation, was determined to actualise the manufacturing of the vaccine in Nigeria to eradicate malaria.
He, however, said that the project was a huge one and so it was necessary to unbundle so that results could be achieved.
‘’The reason we are gathered here today is purely for vaccines. We choose to unbundle the project, separate the vaccine and work with critical stakeholders in Nigeria and all over the world.
“This is to see how we can develop a malaria vaccine with the requisite efficacy and potency that can be accepted by our people and that can deliver the results that we need,’’ he said. (NAN)
