Pfizer Inc. issued the following statement today in response to an article published in The Guardian regarding purported cables from the U.S. embassy in Nigeria that discuss Pfizer.
“The Trovan cases brought by both the federal government of Nigeria and Kano State were
resolved in 2009 by mutual agreement. Pfizer negotiated the settlement with the federal government of Nigeria in good faith and its conduct in reaching that agreement was proper. Any notion that the company hired investigators in connection to the former Attorney General is simply preposterous.
“As previously disclosed in Pfizer’s 10Q filing in November 2009, per the agreement with the
federal government, Nigeria dismissed its civil and criminal actions against the Company. Pfizer
denied any wrongdoing or liability in connection with the 1996 study. The Company agreed to pay the legal fees and expenses incurred by the federal government associated with the Trovan litigation. Pursuant to the settlement, payment was made to the federal government’s counsel of record in the case, and there was no payment made to the federal government of Nigeria itself. As is common practice, the agreement was covered by a standard confidentiality clause agreed to by both parties.”
Friday, December 10, 2010
Feasting on the misery of genuine 1996 Trovan patients continues!
By
Dr. Abdullahi Ibn Mohammed
Even as familiar as I am with the intrigues and opportunism associated with what has become known as the Trovan Saga, I thought I had seen the worst in opportunism in the ways persons not even remotely affected by a tragedy have tried to line up to reap from the situation. I thought I had seen in the way these opportunists have sought to rubbish presages with otherwise impeccable credentials.
But now I must confess to being overawed by the extent to which these opportunists can go. Their actions not only beats the imagination, but passeth all understanding! I only wonder what other tricks they will come up with once we dispose of this one.
I am at a loss as to what the authors and instigators of the article titled “Suffering of Pfizer victims drags on - Families remain uncompensated” published in the Saturday, 04 December 2010 issue of Weekend Trust, hope to achieve.
To begin with, there is a subsisting injunction secured by Maisikeli’s Trovan Victims’ Forum (TVF) restraining the Board of Trustees from paying out any compensation money. One would have expected the report to be an indictment of persons, under any guise but for selfish reasons, who use their positions to frustrate the fool-proof process, including a time-tested scientific approach that had been negotiated in a most civilized manner to guarantee a speedy redress of the suffering of the genuine patients of the Trovan trial.
But what do we find -- an “investigative” report that, for its lack of balance and – inevitably – wrong conclusions, only succeeds in muddying the waters.
Inaccuracies are the ingredients with which wrong conclusions are baked. The article is full of them. I will briefly rebut these inaccuracies:
A very simple piece of inaccuracy in the article is the claim that 217 were tested, while the actual figure is 196 – even then only half of these were tested with the Trovan. The clinical trial was designed for 200 participants, but only 196 patients were actually tested.
Another tissue of inaccuracy is the claim that the settlement agreement stated that all patients would receive compensation by October 15, 2009. No date was set for any compensation, as each patient would have to undergo DNA testing prior to any determination as to payment of any compensation.
It is false to say that each patient was to be paid $175,000 when it was left to the discretion of the Board to determine how much was payable to each patient or their relatives.
The settlement terms did not provide for any payment to the Federal Government of Nigeria beyond reimbursement for legal fees and expenses incurred by the Federal Government associated with the federal lawsuits, and pursuant to the settlement, the Federal Government's counsel of record was paid. It is important to state quite clearly that there was no payment made to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Indeed former President Yar’Adua wasn’t disposed to seeking monetary compensation for the government because he felt the matter was really between Kano State and Pfizer and he encouraged both to reach a settlement in the interest of the patients. More importantly he felt that relevant federal government agencies had given approval to the study. The Federal Ministry of Justice can corroborate this assertion.
Concerning Governor Shekarau, you are not obliged to share his political persuasion, but no one is going to take it from him that the Trovan settlement is one thing that he did right. And it does not make sense for dubious people to confuse issues in order to reap where they did not sow.
The settlement terms never included the fact that "anyone who came with a patient would be given something, whether or not DNA test was carried out on them." All claimants are required to undergo DNA testing.
No thanks to the machinations of Alhaji Maisikeli and his cohorts in the TVF, as a result of the injunction they received from the Court, the work of the Board with regard to determining compensation of the patients has been delayed for the past six months and has now been grounded, at least temporarily. Thus, the truth is that if all those involved had been allowed to submit to the DNA testing procedure, all genuine claimants would have been paid by now. If as a result of the injunction the process has not been allowed by Maisikeli and his TVF to take place, they cannot turn around, as they are now doing, to accuse the Board of Trustees of delaying payment to the patients.
And all those who are genuinely sensitive to human suffering, who cherish fair play and who abhor opportunism must rise up and raise their voices against the nefarious devices of these real enemies of the genuine patients of the Trovan trial.
They are not just satisfied with spurious and bogus court cases or casting aspersions on a globally accepted method of verifying claims based on genetics, they have decided to take to the pages of unwary newspapers not only to discredit but frustrate a process and procedure that offer the best options in responding to the legitimate entitlements of very vulnerable people.
Dr. Abdullahi Ibn Mohammed (ibndullahi@gmail.com) wrote from Kaduna.
Dr. Abdullahi Ibn Mohammed
Even as familiar as I am with the intrigues and opportunism associated with what has become known as the Trovan Saga, I thought I had seen the worst in opportunism in the ways persons not even remotely affected by a tragedy have tried to line up to reap from the situation. I thought I had seen in the way these opportunists have sought to rubbish presages with otherwise impeccable credentials.
But now I must confess to being overawed by the extent to which these opportunists can go. Their actions not only beats the imagination, but passeth all understanding! I only wonder what other tricks they will come up with once we dispose of this one.
I am at a loss as to what the authors and instigators of the article titled “Suffering of Pfizer victims drags on - Families remain uncompensated” published in the Saturday, 04 December 2010 issue of Weekend Trust, hope to achieve.
To begin with, there is a subsisting injunction secured by Maisikeli’s Trovan Victims’ Forum (TVF) restraining the Board of Trustees from paying out any compensation money. One would have expected the report to be an indictment of persons, under any guise but for selfish reasons, who use their positions to frustrate the fool-proof process, including a time-tested scientific approach that had been negotiated in a most civilized manner to guarantee a speedy redress of the suffering of the genuine patients of the Trovan trial.
But what do we find -- an “investigative” report that, for its lack of balance and – inevitably – wrong conclusions, only succeeds in muddying the waters.
Inaccuracies are the ingredients with which wrong conclusions are baked. The article is full of them. I will briefly rebut these inaccuracies:
A very simple piece of inaccuracy in the article is the claim that 217 were tested, while the actual figure is 196 – even then only half of these were tested with the Trovan. The clinical trial was designed for 200 participants, but only 196 patients were actually tested.
Another tissue of inaccuracy is the claim that the settlement agreement stated that all patients would receive compensation by October 15, 2009. No date was set for any compensation, as each patient would have to undergo DNA testing prior to any determination as to payment of any compensation.
It is false to say that each patient was to be paid $175,000 when it was left to the discretion of the Board to determine how much was payable to each patient or their relatives.
The settlement terms did not provide for any payment to the Federal Government of Nigeria beyond reimbursement for legal fees and expenses incurred by the Federal Government associated with the federal lawsuits, and pursuant to the settlement, the Federal Government's counsel of record was paid. It is important to state quite clearly that there was no payment made to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Indeed former President Yar’Adua wasn’t disposed to seeking monetary compensation for the government because he felt the matter was really between Kano State and Pfizer and he encouraged both to reach a settlement in the interest of the patients. More importantly he felt that relevant federal government agencies had given approval to the study. The Federal Ministry of Justice can corroborate this assertion.
Concerning Governor Shekarau, you are not obliged to share his political persuasion, but no one is going to take it from him that the Trovan settlement is one thing that he did right. And it does not make sense for dubious people to confuse issues in order to reap where they did not sow.
The settlement terms never included the fact that "anyone who came with a patient would be given something, whether or not DNA test was carried out on them." All claimants are required to undergo DNA testing.
No thanks to the machinations of Alhaji Maisikeli and his cohorts in the TVF, as a result of the injunction they received from the Court, the work of the Board with regard to determining compensation of the patients has been delayed for the past six months and has now been grounded, at least temporarily. Thus, the truth is that if all those involved had been allowed to submit to the DNA testing procedure, all genuine claimants would have been paid by now. If as a result of the injunction the process has not been allowed by Maisikeli and his TVF to take place, they cannot turn around, as they are now doing, to accuse the Board of Trustees of delaying payment to the patients.
And all those who are genuinely sensitive to human suffering, who cherish fair play and who abhor opportunism must rise up and raise their voices against the nefarious devices of these real enemies of the genuine patients of the Trovan trial.
They are not just satisfied with spurious and bogus court cases or casting aspersions on a globally accepted method of verifying claims based on genetics, they have decided to take to the pages of unwary newspapers not only to discredit but frustrate a process and procedure that offer the best options in responding to the legitimate entitlements of very vulnerable people.
Dr. Abdullahi Ibn Mohammed (ibndullahi@gmail.com) wrote from Kaduna.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Pfizer Builds N4 Billion Medical Facility for Kano
History was made in Kano on Tuesday 23rd November 2010 when the much-awaited turning of the sod of the multi-billion Naira healthcare facility sponsored by Pfizer Incorporated as part of the Trovan settlement was performed by Governor Ibrahim Shekarau.
Present at the occasion was the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero and a retinue of high officials of the Emirate Council.
The Chairman of the Healthcare project board, Professor A.S.A. Galadanci welcomed all to the foundation laying and pledged that his board would continue to do the needful to ensure that the project was fully realized to the benefit of the people. Also speaking, Governor Shekarau recounted the process that led to the historic occasion and urged all to cooperate with the authorities to ensure the completion of the remaining process of compensation of the Trovan participants some of whom were present at the occasion.
The governor performed the ceremonial turning of the sod after the project architects had made a presentation on the project using the architectural model conspicuously displayed. A unique feature of the occasion which attracted positive comments from the gathering was the fact that many of the buildings are already being constructed and the entire layout of the estate fully done. All the contractors are mobilized on site, gradually turning the former cattle market into an architectural showpiece. The landscape of Kano would never be the same again.
Professor Galadanci had underscored the significance of the project when he earlier told the national press:
“The medical center will in addition have an in-Patient Facility for treatment of severe life threatening infections. There will be about 200 beds categorized into different infectious conditions. This facility now appropriately located out of town will replace the presently dilapidated infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) which is now in the heart of the city, against the modern medical practice.”
Continuing, he said, “The medical center will also have a fully equipped microbiology Laboratory for the research and management of contagious conditions that often result in serious outbreak like cholera and meningitis. Research in this laboratory can predict outbreaks when such outbreaks are likely to occur and provide the Government with the necessary information so that appropriate measures are taken in time to prevent such outbreaks like the meningitis outbreak in 1996. This way many lives can be saved.”
In a statement issued after the event, Pfizer incorporated declared:
“Pfizer is extremely pleased to be a part of today’s ceremony, which is a significant milestone in the implementation of the Trovan settlement agreement. The construction of a new state-of-the-art medical center in Kano is proof positive that Pfizer continues to fulfill its commitments to Nigeria and its people. This event allows the Company to further its work on what really matters - improving healthcare for all Nigerians. We commend the Boards, Kano State government, and others working on this initiative.”
The statement signed by Chris Loder explained that “per the settlement agreement, Pfizer agreed to underwrite the new medical center, totaling US$25.5 million. The Company has also reimbursed the Kano State government approximately US$10 million for the legal costs associated with the Trovan litigation.”
Tracing Pfizer’s long relationship with Nigeria, Loder added that “the construction of the new medical facility builds on Pfizer’s work in Nigeria for more than 50 years. In August 1957, Pfizer became the first U.S. pharmaceutical company to establish operations in Nigeria. Since that time, the Company has contributed to the well-being of Nigerians by providing quality medicines, creating jobs, developing local expertise, and bringing foreign investment and innovative healthcare solutions to the country.”
Stressing that it was fully collaborating with Nigerian government agencies to improve the healthcare of the people, Loder added, “Today, Pfizer participates in and supports several initiatives in partnership with the government, the private health sector and non-governmental organizations that benefit the health of the Nigerian people and the country’s healthcare system. For instance, Pfizer routinely conducts disease awareness campaigns through public education programs. The Company also invests in developing local health expertise through health education and good clinical practice workshops. Lastly, Pfizer is working in partnership with the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration to prevent the entry of counterfeit drugs in Nigeria by improving regulations and strengthening judicial enforcement.”
The event comes at a time when the Trovan participants are still waiting for compensation following the injunction clamped on the Meningitis Trust Board by an Abuja court at the request of Alhaji Maisikeli, chairman of the Trovan Victims Forum. Maisikeli and his group had refused to submit themselves to DNA testing to authenticate their claims of being Trovan participants, even as hundreds of others had undergone the process and were awaiting the outcome to enable verified patients collect compensation.
Varied reactions have trailed the commissioning, all pointing to the fact that a new day had dawned in the healthcare sector in Kano State.
A non-governmental organization, The Proletarian Agenda, commended worldwide pharmaceutical giants, Pfizer, and the Kano State Government for the epoch-making turning of the sod of the 4 billion Naira ultra-modern Healthcare facility in Kano. Noting that something good was at last visibly coming out of the protracted settlement of the controversial 1996 Trovan trials, the organization also commended the Board of Trustees led by Prof. A.S.A. Galadanci for a job well done.
In a statement signed by Danlami M. Balami, Coordinator, Northern Zone, the Proletarian Agenda said, “It is gratifying that Kano’s landscape will soon be graced by functional structures for disease control, diagnosis, laboratory analysis, reference laboratory and a housing estate for the staff of the healthcare establishment.”
Reviewing progress made on the compensation of patients who participated in the controversial Trovan trials, Mr. Balami called on the Trovan Victims’ Forum to withdraw their suits from the law courts and submit themselves for DNA verification so that genuine claimants could be receive the agreed compensation packages currently being stalled by litigation.
According to him, “Nothing positive can be achieved through acrimony; we didn’t need to blackmail anybody to get the health facilities being flagged of today. Let all genuine Trovan participants go for the DNA test and collect their compensation. That is the civilized thing to do. We appeal to the Trovan Victims’ Forum not to stand in the way of those who have already done the tests and are awaiting the lifting of the court injunction so that they can receive their deserved compensation.”
Similarly another civil society group, Mens Sana expressed delight that “the construction of the complex comprising a Diagnostic Centre, the Centre for Disease Control, the Public Health Laboratory, the Micro Biological Reference Laboratory and Staff Housing for the Centre will go a long way in improving healthcare delivery for the people of Kano and neighbouring states.”
Speaking through its National Coordinator, Hajiya Muslima Kadi, the organization said it was happy that both Pfizer and the Kano State Government have kept the faith. “We salute the transparent method used in selecting contractors and consultants for the projects and hope that this would govern the rest of the process to ensure qualitative work and timely completion. It can be said without fear of contradiction that when the centre is completed Kano healthcare delivery will be positively transformed for the benefit of our people. We congratulate Pfizer and Kano State."
Hajiya Kadi also called on “all those foot-dragging on DNA test to cooperate with the Board of Trustees and submit themselves to the process so that the other leg of the settlement – the actual payment of compensation – can be concluded expeditiously.”
There are indications that those pleas have not fallen on deaf ears as Alhaji Maisikeli, Chairman of the Trovan Victims’ Forum told reporters at the end of the event, “"The court case might be withdrawn if agreement works according to plan considering the interests of the various parties". Critical observers will be closely watching developments in the days ahead.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Victory for Pfizer … But DNA Participants Cry: “We Want Our Compensation Now!”
A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, said it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a suit filed by 192 people who claimed to be victims of a drug test carried out by Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company in Kano in 1996.
The court said that the proper place to hear the matter is the Kano State High Court. The plaintiffs had asked for the sum $384 billion as damages for the negative effects of the Trovan drug test administered on them by Pfizer, which allegedly claimed the lives of some of their children while deforming others.
Pfizer, through its counsel, Anthony Idigbe SAN, objected to the jurisdiction of the court on the grounds that the clinical trial took place in Kano; and that the proper court to entertain the matter was the Kano State High Court. But Etigwe Uwa, counsel to the 192 victims, argued that the case was based on the enforcement of the constitutional rights of the plaintiffs, and so the high court had the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, after studying the plaintiffs' relief, upheld Pfizer's arguments. He said that he did not have the jurisdiction to entertain the suit as constituted. "The drug test which resulted in this case took place in Kano," he said. "The plaintiffs who claimed they were victims of the test are all from Kano. The Attorney General of Kano State is also a party. In my view, the proper venue to file this case is the Kano State High Court."
The judge also contested the plaintiff's claim that the test had violated their constitutional rights. "The plaintiffs were not compelled by any government agency to agree to the test," he said. "Though Pfizer may not have exercised due diligence in carrying out the test and that is why it agreed to pay damages, nevertheless, this case remains an action in negligence for which the Federal High Court does not have the jurisdiction to entertain. This case is not about poison or drugs as claimed by the plaintiffs' lawyer."
Justice Kolawole also upheld the argument of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), who was represented by Olufunke Aboyade, that it should not have been made a party in the lawsuit. Ms. Aboyade had argued that the AGF had nothing to do with the drug test which resulted in the dispute.
However, the judge said that an order which he made on June 29 to protect the fund set aside by Pfizer to compensate legitimate victims should remain in effect until set aside by the Kano State High Court. Meanwhile there have been strident cries by the other group of Trovan patients who participated in the recent DNA testing to determine genuine claimants. They want their compensation money paid immediately they are verified as genuine. They insist that the injunction clamped on the meningitis board by the Federal High Court is punitive on innocent souls who are not involved in the current litigation.
All eyes are now on Kano to see which way the pendulum of justice would swing.
The court said that the proper place to hear the matter is the Kano State High Court. The plaintiffs had asked for the sum $384 billion as damages for the negative effects of the Trovan drug test administered on them by Pfizer, which allegedly claimed the lives of some of their children while deforming others.
Pfizer, through its counsel, Anthony Idigbe SAN, objected to the jurisdiction of the court on the grounds that the clinical trial took place in Kano; and that the proper court to entertain the matter was the Kano State High Court. But Etigwe Uwa, counsel to the 192 victims, argued that the case was based on the enforcement of the constitutional rights of the plaintiffs, and so the high court had the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, after studying the plaintiffs' relief, upheld Pfizer's arguments. He said that he did not have the jurisdiction to entertain the suit as constituted. "The drug test which resulted in this case took place in Kano," he said. "The plaintiffs who claimed they were victims of the test are all from Kano. The Attorney General of Kano State is also a party. In my view, the proper venue to file this case is the Kano State High Court."
The judge also contested the plaintiff's claim that the test had violated their constitutional rights. "The plaintiffs were not compelled by any government agency to agree to the test," he said. "Though Pfizer may not have exercised due diligence in carrying out the test and that is why it agreed to pay damages, nevertheless, this case remains an action in negligence for which the Federal High Court does not have the jurisdiction to entertain. This case is not about poison or drugs as claimed by the plaintiffs' lawyer."
Justice Kolawole also upheld the argument of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), who was represented by Olufunke Aboyade, that it should not have been made a party in the lawsuit. Ms. Aboyade had argued that the AGF had nothing to do with the drug test which resulted in the dispute.
However, the judge said that an order which he made on June 29 to protect the fund set aside by Pfizer to compensate legitimate victims should remain in effect until set aside by the Kano State High Court. Meanwhile there have been strident cries by the other group of Trovan patients who participated in the recent DNA testing to determine genuine claimants. They want their compensation money paid immediately they are verified as genuine. They insist that the injunction clamped on the meningitis board by the Federal High Court is punitive on innocent souls who are not involved in the current litigation.
All eyes are now on Kano to see which way the pendulum of justice would swing.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Trovan Vaccine Suit Suffers Setback
NEWS
The suit filed by the victims of the 1996 Trovan vaccine test in Kano at the Federal High Court in Abuja has suffered a set a back as the court set aside the service of the court’s processes on Pfizer Specialties. Justice Gabriel Kolawole set aside the processes following an objection by Pfizer Specialties’ counsel, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN challenging the proprietary of the service.
In setting aside the processes, Justice Kolawole said that the service was crucial to adjudication in any case.He however refused a similar application to set aside the service of the process on the Kano State Government.
Following agreement by Pfizer to compensate the victims of the vaccine test, more people who claimed to be victims of the 1996 Pfizer meningitis Trovan vaccine test in Kano had filed fresh suits against the pharmaceutical company asking for $384 billion. The victims, about 192, said they wanted $384 as damages they suffered from the negative effect of the vaccines administered on them.
It will be recalled that Pfizer recorded a survival rate of about 94 percent during the Trovan trials which compared favorably with the record obtained by Doctors Without Borders during the same meningitis epidemic.
Joined as defendants in the suit filed by Etigwe Uwa (SAN) on behalf of the plaintiffs are the Health Care/ meningitis Trust Fund; Kano State Government; Pfizer Incorporated; Pfizer Specialties Ltd; David Odiwo, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Corporate Affairs Commission.
The 192 plaintiffs are challenging the proposal by the defendants to conduct a DNA test to determine the real victims of the Trovan vaccine following a sudden increase in the number of those claiming to be victims. The plaintiffs hinged their opposition to the DNA test on the fact that the company could not be trusted with their DNA.
However, hearing of the case by Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja was stalled by the claims of Pfizer Specialties and Kano State Government that they were not properly served with the court processes.
While Pfizer Specialties claimed that the court papers were served on Pfizer Incorporated in New York, Kano State claimed that the documents served on it bore FCT High Court letter head papers instead of the Federal High Court.
The two defendants though represented by lawyers claimed that they were not properly served and that the court should order a proper service on them. Plaintiffs counsel Etigwe Uwa faulted the claims of the two defendants and urged the court to disregard the claims.
Justice Kolawole has adjourned further ruling on other interim applications pending before the cost to Tuesday 27th July, 2010.
The suit filed by the victims of the 1996 Trovan vaccine test in Kano at the Federal High Court in Abuja has suffered a set a back as the court set aside the service of the court’s processes on Pfizer Specialties. Justice Gabriel Kolawole set aside the processes following an objection by Pfizer Specialties’ counsel, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN challenging the proprietary of the service.
In setting aside the processes, Justice Kolawole said that the service was crucial to adjudication in any case.He however refused a similar application to set aside the service of the process on the Kano State Government.
Following agreement by Pfizer to compensate the victims of the vaccine test, more people who claimed to be victims of the 1996 Pfizer meningitis Trovan vaccine test in Kano had filed fresh suits against the pharmaceutical company asking for $384 billion. The victims, about 192, said they wanted $384 as damages they suffered from the negative effect of the vaccines administered on them.
It will be recalled that Pfizer recorded a survival rate of about 94 percent during the Trovan trials which compared favorably with the record obtained by Doctors Without Borders during the same meningitis epidemic.
Joined as defendants in the suit filed by Etigwe Uwa (SAN) on behalf of the plaintiffs are the Health Care/ meningitis Trust Fund; Kano State Government; Pfizer Incorporated; Pfizer Specialties Ltd; David Odiwo, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Corporate Affairs Commission.
The 192 plaintiffs are challenging the proposal by the defendants to conduct a DNA test to determine the real victims of the Trovan vaccine following a sudden increase in the number of those claiming to be victims. The plaintiffs hinged their opposition to the DNA test on the fact that the company could not be trusted with their DNA.
However, hearing of the case by Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja was stalled by the claims of Pfizer Specialties and Kano State Government that they were not properly served with the court processes.
While Pfizer Specialties claimed that the court papers were served on Pfizer Incorporated in New York, Kano State claimed that the documents served on it bore FCT High Court letter head papers instead of the Federal High Court.
The two defendants though represented by lawyers claimed that they were not properly served and that the court should order a proper service on them. Plaintiffs counsel Etigwe Uwa faulted the claims of the two defendants and urged the court to disregard the claims.
Justice Kolawole has adjourned further ruling on other interim applications pending before the cost to Tuesday 27th July, 2010.
Monday, July 19, 2010
DNA stoppage: Shooting ourselves in the foot
By
Shehu M. Dikwa
The recent ruling by an Abuja High Court temporarily stopping the release of results of DNA tests conducted on Trovan test claimants gives cause for worry. Before the ruling, it had been the hope of all those who subjected themselves to the test that the results would be announced within eight weeks and those verified as genuine Trovan participants would be compensated by the Board of Trustees saddled with the task. Now, the problem is not the Board but the so-called Trovan Victims Forum led by Alhaji Mustapha Maisikeli. The TVF boss had gone to court to seek an injunction stopping the DNA tests. He was told on the first day to put all the parties on notice. When the case came up on 29th June, the collection of DNA samples had been completed in respect of over 300 claimants. Only the Maisikeli group refused to submit themselves to the test. One of their primary claims was that they could not trust the outcome of the tests, even suggesting that the universally acclaimed Bode Laboratories contracted to do the tests was ill-qualified to handle the exercise.
Although on the surface it looks as if the recent court ruling is a slap on the face of the Trovan/Meningitis Trust Board, the real victims of the ruling are the genuine ones among the claimants. Those who truly participated in the 1996 Trovan tests carried out by Pfizer in the heat of the meningitis epidemic in Kano in 1996 are the real losers, even if temporarily. The winners, if they can be so described, are all those who were scared of the DNA tests on account of the fact that they never participated in the Trovan trials in the first place.
Imagine that over 600 people applied for compensation whereas only 200 participants went through the Trovan trials. Where did the over 400 other ghosts come from? To forestall that kind of situation, the settlement agreement stipulated that claimants would have to be verified through DNA tests. If a particular participant was deceased for example, his blood relation could make claims because DNA would establish that relationship. Many watchers of the Trovan drama were actually happy with the fact that claimants would be scientifically screened. But not so the TVF which has from the onset opposed any scheme aimed at establishing the veracity or otherwise of claims.
It is difficult to understand how a person who is sure that he actually participated in an exercise would be reluctant to subscribe to a scheme meant to establish the truth of his claim. One does not need the gift of prophesy to know that the reasons behind the fear of DNA are less than altruistic. Many commentators within the last one year have suggested that the TVF is an association of carpetbaggers who are intent on simply benefitting from the settlement funds without being Trovan participants. The leader of the group Maisikeli himself claims to have lost two children during the meningitis epidemic but would not agree to DNA verification to prove his claimed consanguineous relationship with the allegedly deceased participants.
Many of us don’t like how these unseemly developments have rubbed off in an ugly manner on our national image. If this is not an orchestrated 419 attempt, what then is? Some of our disreputable countrymen have been giving the country a bad image on account of their fraudulent activities globally. So pervasive is their reach that our people are viewed with suspicion everywhere in the world as if we are all criminals. There is no country in the world without its own quota of criminals and many of us have always pointed this out to those who try to misbrand our country as a den of thieves.
Having said this, I don’t know what to say to a situation where somebody says he does not want to be scientifically verified, yet he wants to claim money meant for those who participated in a scientific exercise. We all know that even in the case of paternity dispute, the best way to find out the truth is via DNA test. Knowing this country as I do, and knowing the dramatis personae as I do, I am convinced that the TVF strategy is based on blackmail and shakedown. The issue has even gone beyond Pfizer, the global pharmaceutical giants who carried out the Trovan trials.
For a couple of months the TVF unleashed media terror on the respected members of the Board of Trustees. The Chairman, Justice Wali was singled out for the greatest attack. Board members were accused of feeding fat on monies meant for the Trovan claimants. But this was found to be false as records indicated that the compensation funds would not be released to the Board until the DNA results are out – and even then, only the Board will determine who to benefit from the funds and by how much, based on the set of criteria already agreed upon, including the results of DNA testing.
It is quite strange that a settlement agreement entered into between the Kano State Government, Pfizer and the Trovan participants is now being called into question on the eve of DNA results being released and compensation money being paid. The details of the settlement were even shared with the traditional authorities in Kano before they implementation began. I recall that the respected Emir of Kano lent his voice to the need for DNA tests to be done in order to establish the genuineness of claimants. Is TVF saying the Emir does not have the people’s interest at heart?
It is quite saddening that the Abuja High Court decided to grant the injunction requested by Maisikeli and his TVF to suspend the release of DNA results. One wonders on what leg TVF is standing since they were not participants in the DNA testing from which they withdrew voluntarily. My reasoning is this: If you refuse to participate in a football match while others agree to go to the pitch to play, can you now go to court to insist that the result of the match should not be released?
It is also interesting that whereas the Trovan tests were carried out in Kano, the TVF travelled all the way to Abuja to file their case. What are they running away from in Kano? Are they scared that the real, genuine, authentic participants would mob them for attempting to scuttle their compensation payment?
The real interpretation of delaying compensation payment by even one single day is that the misery of the poor genuine claimants will be extended at the whims of some greedy schemers. Many of us in civil society groups have publicly advocated for a speeding up of the compensation process. We have gone on record as calling on the Meningitis Board to expedite action on their verification exercise and start paying compensation to give succor to the affected families. We didn’t reckon that anyone in his right senses would be intent on stalling the compensation process.
It is clear that we are our own enemies. When it is convenient we blame foreigners for our woes. Now we can’t possibly blame any foreigner because all the dramatis personae in the latest development are all Nigerians – Maisikeli, Meningitis Board, the patients, the judge and the civil society groups. The TVF is not suffering anything. Neither is the Board (apart from the image of their members which TVF tried to soil). The real victims in this saga are the authentic Trovan participants whose genuineness would have been established by the result of the DNA test and who would have smiled to the bank after collecting their compensation cheques. To prevent an economically marginalized people from accessing compensation funds that would ameliorate their despondent situation is criminal and, if I may speak from the religious angle, it is a sin.
(Shehu M. Dikwa, a public affairs commentator, lives in Kano)
Shehu M. Dikwa
The recent ruling by an Abuja High Court temporarily stopping the release of results of DNA tests conducted on Trovan test claimants gives cause for worry. Before the ruling, it had been the hope of all those who subjected themselves to the test that the results would be announced within eight weeks and those verified as genuine Trovan participants would be compensated by the Board of Trustees saddled with the task. Now, the problem is not the Board but the so-called Trovan Victims Forum led by Alhaji Mustapha Maisikeli. The TVF boss had gone to court to seek an injunction stopping the DNA tests. He was told on the first day to put all the parties on notice. When the case came up on 29th June, the collection of DNA samples had been completed in respect of over 300 claimants. Only the Maisikeli group refused to submit themselves to the test. One of their primary claims was that they could not trust the outcome of the tests, even suggesting that the universally acclaimed Bode Laboratories contracted to do the tests was ill-qualified to handle the exercise.
Although on the surface it looks as if the recent court ruling is a slap on the face of the Trovan/Meningitis Trust Board, the real victims of the ruling are the genuine ones among the claimants. Those who truly participated in the 1996 Trovan tests carried out by Pfizer in the heat of the meningitis epidemic in Kano in 1996 are the real losers, even if temporarily. The winners, if they can be so described, are all those who were scared of the DNA tests on account of the fact that they never participated in the Trovan trials in the first place.
Imagine that over 600 people applied for compensation whereas only 200 participants went through the Trovan trials. Where did the over 400 other ghosts come from? To forestall that kind of situation, the settlement agreement stipulated that claimants would have to be verified through DNA tests. If a particular participant was deceased for example, his blood relation could make claims because DNA would establish that relationship. Many watchers of the Trovan drama were actually happy with the fact that claimants would be scientifically screened. But not so the TVF which has from the onset opposed any scheme aimed at establishing the veracity or otherwise of claims.
It is difficult to understand how a person who is sure that he actually participated in an exercise would be reluctant to subscribe to a scheme meant to establish the truth of his claim. One does not need the gift of prophesy to know that the reasons behind the fear of DNA are less than altruistic. Many commentators within the last one year have suggested that the TVF is an association of carpetbaggers who are intent on simply benefitting from the settlement funds without being Trovan participants. The leader of the group Maisikeli himself claims to have lost two children during the meningitis epidemic but would not agree to DNA verification to prove his claimed consanguineous relationship with the allegedly deceased participants.
Many of us don’t like how these unseemly developments have rubbed off in an ugly manner on our national image. If this is not an orchestrated 419 attempt, what then is? Some of our disreputable countrymen have been giving the country a bad image on account of their fraudulent activities globally. So pervasive is their reach that our people are viewed with suspicion everywhere in the world as if we are all criminals. There is no country in the world without its own quota of criminals and many of us have always pointed this out to those who try to misbrand our country as a den of thieves.
Having said this, I don’t know what to say to a situation where somebody says he does not want to be scientifically verified, yet he wants to claim money meant for those who participated in a scientific exercise. We all know that even in the case of paternity dispute, the best way to find out the truth is via DNA test. Knowing this country as I do, and knowing the dramatis personae as I do, I am convinced that the TVF strategy is based on blackmail and shakedown. The issue has even gone beyond Pfizer, the global pharmaceutical giants who carried out the Trovan trials.
For a couple of months the TVF unleashed media terror on the respected members of the Board of Trustees. The Chairman, Justice Wali was singled out for the greatest attack. Board members were accused of feeding fat on monies meant for the Trovan claimants. But this was found to be false as records indicated that the compensation funds would not be released to the Board until the DNA results are out – and even then, only the Board will determine who to benefit from the funds and by how much, based on the set of criteria already agreed upon, including the results of DNA testing.
It is quite strange that a settlement agreement entered into between the Kano State Government, Pfizer and the Trovan participants is now being called into question on the eve of DNA results being released and compensation money being paid. The details of the settlement were even shared with the traditional authorities in Kano before they implementation began. I recall that the respected Emir of Kano lent his voice to the need for DNA tests to be done in order to establish the genuineness of claimants. Is TVF saying the Emir does not have the people’s interest at heart?
It is quite saddening that the Abuja High Court decided to grant the injunction requested by Maisikeli and his TVF to suspend the release of DNA results. One wonders on what leg TVF is standing since they were not participants in the DNA testing from which they withdrew voluntarily. My reasoning is this: If you refuse to participate in a football match while others agree to go to the pitch to play, can you now go to court to insist that the result of the match should not be released?
It is also interesting that whereas the Trovan tests were carried out in Kano, the TVF travelled all the way to Abuja to file their case. What are they running away from in Kano? Are they scared that the real, genuine, authentic participants would mob them for attempting to scuttle their compensation payment?
The real interpretation of delaying compensation payment by even one single day is that the misery of the poor genuine claimants will be extended at the whims of some greedy schemers. Many of us in civil society groups have publicly advocated for a speeding up of the compensation process. We have gone on record as calling on the Meningitis Board to expedite action on their verification exercise and start paying compensation to give succor to the affected families. We didn’t reckon that anyone in his right senses would be intent on stalling the compensation process.
It is clear that we are our own enemies. When it is convenient we blame foreigners for our woes. Now we can’t possibly blame any foreigner because all the dramatis personae in the latest development are all Nigerians – Maisikeli, Meningitis Board, the patients, the judge and the civil society groups. The TVF is not suffering anything. Neither is the Board (apart from the image of their members which TVF tried to soil). The real victims in this saga are the authentic Trovan participants whose genuineness would have been established by the result of the DNA test and who would have smiled to the bank after collecting their compensation cheques. To prevent an economically marginalized people from accessing compensation funds that would ameliorate their despondent situation is criminal and, if I may speak from the religious angle, it is a sin.
(Shehu M. Dikwa, a public affairs commentator, lives in Kano)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Court Ruling May Delay Payment of Verified Trovan Claimants - Pfizer
NEW YORK - Pfizer Inc. issued the following statement regarding a ruling by the Federal High Court of Abuja granting a temporary injunction as to DNA testing and analysis in a case filed by Mustapha Maisikeli and others against the company, Board of Trustees of the Healthcare/Meningitis Trust Fund, Kano State government and Nigerian federal government. The Honorable Justice G.O. Kolawole adjourned the proceedings until July 20, 2010.
“The Court’s order is a temporary procedural measure and not a decision on the merits of this case. The Company regrets that this legal action may very well deny valid claimants, who voluntarily participated in the agreed upon settlement process, their ability to receive funds from the Trust Fund, or at least it may unnecessarily delay the time when payments are made.
“It has been well established that, while there were no more than 200 participants in the 1996 Trovan clinical trial, the Board received more than double that number of claims. The collection and testing of DNA is a safeguard included in the settlement agreement as agreed upon by both Pfizer and the Kano State government to ensure that the funds reach only those for whom they are intended.
“Under the settlement agreement, the Board - not Pfizer or the Kano State government - will make the final determinations on eligibility of the claimants and, if applicable, the level of financial support they will receive. Pfizer will provide the Board with the funds to compensate approved claimants as specified in the settlement agreement.”
“The Court’s order is a temporary procedural measure and not a decision on the merits of this case. The Company regrets that this legal action may very well deny valid claimants, who voluntarily participated in the agreed upon settlement process, their ability to receive funds from the Trust Fund, or at least it may unnecessarily delay the time when payments are made.
“It has been well established that, while there were no more than 200 participants in the 1996 Trovan clinical trial, the Board received more than double that number of claims. The collection and testing of DNA is a safeguard included in the settlement agreement as agreed upon by both Pfizer and the Kano State government to ensure that the funds reach only those for whom they are intended.
“Under the settlement agreement, the Board - not Pfizer or the Kano State government - will make the final determinations on eligibility of the claimants and, if applicable, the level of financial support they will receive. Pfizer will provide the Board with the funds to compensate approved claimants as specified in the settlement agreement.”
Monday, June 7, 2010
Gates lauds progress in polio fight in northern Nigeria
KANO, Nigeria (AFP) – Microsoft founder Bill Gates Sunday lauded progress in campaigns to reduce polio cases in northern Nigeria's Kano region, describing it as victory in the global fight against the epidemic.
Gates was in Kano to assess the impact of polio immunisation in this once polio-endemic state and epicentre of the transmission of the crippling viral disease throughout the world.
"It is fantastic to be here to see so much progress... in reducing the polio burden," Gates told a gathering of political and traditional leaders in Kano.
"The good result we have seen this year in Kano is a combination of good work and some good luck that the virus has not come back from any of the neighbouring countries," he said.
"As long as we redouble our efforts we are on the path of eradicating polio," Gates said as he inspected polio vaccination exercises in some parts of the city as part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's global polio eradication drive.
In the last 17 months Kano state, which has been the bastion of polio virus in Nigeria, has not recorded a single polio virus transmission, according to health officials.
Kano became the epicentre of the transmission of the crippling wild polio virus when the state government suspended polio immunisation for 13 months between 2003 and 2004 following allegations by some Muslim clerics and doctors that the vaccine was laced with substances that could render girls infertile as part of US-led Western plot to depopulate Africa.
The suspension led to the transmission of the polio virus to other parts of the world that were considered polio-free while it continued to ravage Nigeria at alarming rate.
Although laboratory analyses in and outside Nigeria proved the vaccine safe, public rejection persisted, prompting a sustained immunisation and information campaigns by health officials and international donors in collaboration with local political and traditional leaders.
Gates was in Kano to assess the impact of polio immunisation in this once polio-endemic state and epicentre of the transmission of the crippling viral disease throughout the world.
"It is fantastic to be here to see so much progress... in reducing the polio burden," Gates told a gathering of political and traditional leaders in Kano.
"The good result we have seen this year in Kano is a combination of good work and some good luck that the virus has not come back from any of the neighbouring countries," he said.
"As long as we redouble our efforts we are on the path of eradicating polio," Gates said as he inspected polio vaccination exercises in some parts of the city as part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's global polio eradication drive.
In the last 17 months Kano state, which has been the bastion of polio virus in Nigeria, has not recorded a single polio virus transmission, according to health officials.
Kano became the epicentre of the transmission of the crippling wild polio virus when the state government suspended polio immunisation for 13 months between 2003 and 2004 following allegations by some Muslim clerics and doctors that the vaccine was laced with substances that could render girls infertile as part of US-led Western plot to depopulate Africa.
The suspension led to the transmission of the polio virus to other parts of the world that were considered polio-free while it continued to ravage Nigeria at alarming rate.
Although laboratory analyses in and outside Nigeria proved the vaccine safe, public rejection persisted, prompting a sustained immunisation and information campaigns by health officials and international donors in collaboration with local political and traditional leaders.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Trovan: After DNA, now the end game
Dozens turned up on the first day for the DNA test embarked upon by Pfizer to identify genuine victims of the controversial 1996 Trovan drug test during an outbreak of meningitis in Kano. In fulfilling this condition, a team of forensic scientists from Bode Technology Group Inc, had arrived from the United States to conduct the DNA sample collection and testing on the claimants.
The arrival of the team was criticized by the chairman of Trovan Victims Forum (TVF), Mustapha Garba Maisikeli, who expressed reservations about the competence of the experts.
“We are not afraid of DNA test, but our grouse is that the so called doctors handling the DNA test are not experts of the DNA, they are pediatricians, what do they know about DNA,” he queried. “They should go and look for experts even in Nigeria we have few.”
Maisikeli’s attempt to impugn the integrity of Bode Laboratories is considered pathetic considering that the laboratory ranks among the best in the world, a fact which a brief check on the internet would easily establish.
Mr. Maisikeli further accused the Meningitis Trust Fund board of trustees of taking sides with Pfizer because they failed to answer the question of how the board intends to confirm that any DNA samples Pfizer may send are not those of children from other parts of Nigeria or Africa.
Reactions to Maisikeli’s allegations
At the onset of the DNA exercise, a non-governmental organization, the Proletarian Agenda had warmed as follows:
“We want to alert the security agencies that there are some fifth columnists who want the entire process scuttled. We hope the police and other agencies will be on high alert to deal with possible mischief makers.”
Also, during the exercise, another civil society group, Mens Sana, commented as follows:
“The tactics of Maisikeli and his TVF are so predictable they are actually cheap. What manner of patriot would attempt trading with the lives of people? When the Kano State government and Pfizer reached an out-of-court settlement, we were among the civil society groups who volunteered to closely monitor the process. That we have done steadfastly. We fear that the current attempt to derail the DNA testing by Maisikeli and his cohorts is a slap on the face of the Kano State government which entered into the agreement in the first place. It is also an insult on the respected Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero who has gone on record as endorsing the use of DNA to determine rightful claimants. Maisikeli is afraid of science. He wants a resort to primitive fakery.
“We call on the Kano State government to live up to its responsibilities by ensuring that the compensation process is concluded expeditiously and successfully. The earlier the better. The millions of Naira to be collected by proven beneficiaries will go a long way to improve their lives. Maisikeli’s interloping belligerence can’t help the Trovan participants. If anything, it is designed to prolong their agony. We challenge Maisikeli to provide his DNA sample so that the world can scientifically prove if any of his children or wards was involved in the Trovan test as he has been claiming."
The statement went on: “But to capitalise on the illiteracy of many of the participants to cause confusion borders on criminality. There must be a more endearing way to earn a living than making a profession out of carpet-bagging and blackmail. We call on the Board of Trustees and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the compensation process goes on unfailingly as expected.”
At the Lamido Road base of the trust fund, it was observed that Mr. Maiskeli failed to discourage some of the claimants from partaking in the exercise. Dozens of women, men and children could be sighted waiting to take their turn to be tested by the team of experts.
One of the claimants, Rabiu Adamu, who was accompanied by his wife Halima, lost one of their sons last year as a result of complications from the 1996 test. He said that they decided to defy the TVF instructions because TVF cannot compensate them. Mr. Adamu said he, alongside his wife are ready to subject themselves to any process to get their compensation.
“The truth is that even though we are aggrieved we believe in the test,” he said. “We are ready to subject ourselves to any process because we are genuine claimants. We can’t answer the call by the TVF, they are not going to compensate. It is Pfizer that will do that.”
Some other victims at the test venue also expressed their confidence in the DNA test, stating that they were prepared to go through the process if it was the only way that Pfizer will ascertain genuine claimants.
Genuine victims?
Two boards of trustees were set up as a result of Pfizer’s insistence on ascertaining the genuineness of the claimants. However, when it was time for the claimants to come for compensation, 610 persons had filled and submitted forms to the Trust Fund claiming to have participated in the 1996 study carried out by Pfizer in Kano.
Official records with Pfizer showed that those that participated in the ill fated tests were not more than 200 persons during the study. Officials of the Trust Fund, led by retried Supreme Court Justice Bashir Wali, insisted that DNA test of the claimants be taken to determine the genuine claimants.
Out of the 547 claimants that collected and submitted their claim forms to the trust fund, 324 are in the category of those who are alive but want to be compensated for bodily harm inflicted on them by the drug. The remaining 223 who are expected to partake in the DNA test claim they lost their children or relatives when the clinical trial took place at Kano Infectious Diseases Hospital in 1996. At the end of May, about 325 claimants who presented themselves for DNA testing had been tested.
End game
When Maisikeli’s attempt to secure a court injunction to stop the DNA testing failed, he tried a few more desperate maneuvers all of which hit the rocks. He is now casting his gaze at the suit filed in the US by his old ally, Mashaba. In a release signed by Maisikeli on behalf of TVF, he threatens to file a fresh suit against Pfizer in the US courts. The purpose of this latest move is quite clear: it is a last ditch attempt to cling to whatever straw is available because at least 353 claimants have already been DNA-tested by Bode Laboratories (reliable sources disclosed that 559 donors were involved because of cases where claims were being made in respect of deceased persons where multiple DNA samples had to be collected to make assurance doubly sure). Once the claims are verified, payment will commence. Maisikeli and his group will be left in the cold. By then, whoever is still with him will jump ship and submit themselves for DNA tests. But all that is assuming that the 192 names being flaunted by Maisikeli actually exist. His latest moves are therefore interpretable only within the context of his attempts to seek relevance and be treated as a factor in the settlement process.
(Pharmawatch with agency reports and onlinenigeria.com)
The arrival of the team was criticized by the chairman of Trovan Victims Forum (TVF), Mustapha Garba Maisikeli, who expressed reservations about the competence of the experts.
“We are not afraid of DNA test, but our grouse is that the so called doctors handling the DNA test are not experts of the DNA, they are pediatricians, what do they know about DNA,” he queried. “They should go and look for experts even in Nigeria we have few.”
Maisikeli’s attempt to impugn the integrity of Bode Laboratories is considered pathetic considering that the laboratory ranks among the best in the world, a fact which a brief check on the internet would easily establish.
Mr. Maisikeli further accused the Meningitis Trust Fund board of trustees of taking sides with Pfizer because they failed to answer the question of how the board intends to confirm that any DNA samples Pfizer may send are not those of children from other parts of Nigeria or Africa.
Reactions to Maisikeli’s allegations
At the onset of the DNA exercise, a non-governmental organization, the Proletarian Agenda had warmed as follows:
“We want to alert the security agencies that there are some fifth columnists who want the entire process scuttled. We hope the police and other agencies will be on high alert to deal with possible mischief makers.”
Also, during the exercise, another civil society group, Mens Sana, commented as follows:
“The tactics of Maisikeli and his TVF are so predictable they are actually cheap. What manner of patriot would attempt trading with the lives of people? When the Kano State government and Pfizer reached an out-of-court settlement, we were among the civil society groups who volunteered to closely monitor the process. That we have done steadfastly. We fear that the current attempt to derail the DNA testing by Maisikeli and his cohorts is a slap on the face of the Kano State government which entered into the agreement in the first place. It is also an insult on the respected Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero who has gone on record as endorsing the use of DNA to determine rightful claimants. Maisikeli is afraid of science. He wants a resort to primitive fakery.
“We call on the Kano State government to live up to its responsibilities by ensuring that the compensation process is concluded expeditiously and successfully. The earlier the better. The millions of Naira to be collected by proven beneficiaries will go a long way to improve their lives. Maisikeli’s interloping belligerence can’t help the Trovan participants. If anything, it is designed to prolong their agony. We challenge Maisikeli to provide his DNA sample so that the world can scientifically prove if any of his children or wards was involved in the Trovan test as he has been claiming."
The statement went on: “But to capitalise on the illiteracy of many of the participants to cause confusion borders on criminality. There must be a more endearing way to earn a living than making a profession out of carpet-bagging and blackmail. We call on the Board of Trustees and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the compensation process goes on unfailingly as expected.”
At the Lamido Road base of the trust fund, it was observed that Mr. Maiskeli failed to discourage some of the claimants from partaking in the exercise. Dozens of women, men and children could be sighted waiting to take their turn to be tested by the team of experts.
One of the claimants, Rabiu Adamu, who was accompanied by his wife Halima, lost one of their sons last year as a result of complications from the 1996 test. He said that they decided to defy the TVF instructions because TVF cannot compensate them. Mr. Adamu said he, alongside his wife are ready to subject themselves to any process to get their compensation.
“The truth is that even though we are aggrieved we believe in the test,” he said. “We are ready to subject ourselves to any process because we are genuine claimants. We can’t answer the call by the TVF, they are not going to compensate. It is Pfizer that will do that.”
Some other victims at the test venue also expressed their confidence in the DNA test, stating that they were prepared to go through the process if it was the only way that Pfizer will ascertain genuine claimants.
Genuine victims?
Two boards of trustees were set up as a result of Pfizer’s insistence on ascertaining the genuineness of the claimants. However, when it was time for the claimants to come for compensation, 610 persons had filled and submitted forms to the Trust Fund claiming to have participated in the 1996 study carried out by Pfizer in Kano.
Official records with Pfizer showed that those that participated in the ill fated tests were not more than 200 persons during the study. Officials of the Trust Fund, led by retried Supreme Court Justice Bashir Wali, insisted that DNA test of the claimants be taken to determine the genuine claimants.
Out of the 547 claimants that collected and submitted their claim forms to the trust fund, 324 are in the category of those who are alive but want to be compensated for bodily harm inflicted on them by the drug. The remaining 223 who are expected to partake in the DNA test claim they lost their children or relatives when the clinical trial took place at Kano Infectious Diseases Hospital in 1996. At the end of May, about 325 claimants who presented themselves for DNA testing had been tested.
End game
When Maisikeli’s attempt to secure a court injunction to stop the DNA testing failed, he tried a few more desperate maneuvers all of which hit the rocks. He is now casting his gaze at the suit filed in the US by his old ally, Mashaba. In a release signed by Maisikeli on behalf of TVF, he threatens to file a fresh suit against Pfizer in the US courts. The purpose of this latest move is quite clear: it is a last ditch attempt to cling to whatever straw is available because at least 353 claimants have already been DNA-tested by Bode Laboratories (reliable sources disclosed that 559 donors were involved because of cases where claims were being made in respect of deceased persons where multiple DNA samples had to be collected to make assurance doubly sure). Once the claims are verified, payment will commence. Maisikeli and his group will be left in the cold. By then, whoever is still with him will jump ship and submit themselves for DNA tests. But all that is assuming that the 192 names being flaunted by Maisikeli actually exist. His latest moves are therefore interpretable only within the context of his attempts to seek relevance and be treated as a factor in the settlement process.
(Pharmawatch with agency reports and onlinenigeria.com)
Monday, May 17, 2010
An eye witness account of Day One of Trovan DNA test in Kano
I was among members of the civil society groups who monitored the start of the DNA tests on Trovan participants by Bode Laboratories in Kano today. In the past few days, the Board of Trustees had used the electronic media to publicize the timetable for the DNA tests and the entire process leading up to compensation for the various categories of claimants. Aside from claimants who are alive and able to come forward to make their claims, the Board advised others who claim to be relatives of dead participants to ensure that they are blood relations.
Considering the negative publicity that the Board had suffered in the recent past, courtesy of the Trovan Victims’ Forum whose leader, Alhaji Maisikeli seems scared to the death of DNA tests, many people had wondered if anyone would turn up at all for the commencement of the DNA. As it turned out, many claimants turned up. Some had not bothered to check the roster for their scheduled time of test; they simply showed up. The Board explained the process and schedule to them. For those who were scheduled to be processed today, it was a dream fulfilled as they took their turns to participate in the DNA test and thereby inch their way towards claiming compensation if they are proven to be genuine Trovan participants.
In all, 22 families were tested on the first day. We noticed that in some cases five members of the same family came together to establish claim on their deceased relative. In all cases, as long as blood ties were claimed, they were allowed to go in for the test.
Some civil society groups crowded round the participants as they made their way out after the test to ask them how they felt about the whole process.
“I am happy that I came”, said Hajiya Asabe who claimed to be a blood relative of a deceased participant. “Three of us came from our family. We are so sure that our late relative participated in the Trovan trials. It is only Allah that gives life, so we are not quarrelling with anybody. All we want is the compensation promised the families. Anyone who has a genuine claim like ours has nothing to fear. If you are sure that your claim is genuine, why would you not come? Those who are campaigning against DNA test are fraudulent people”.
On the withdrawal of the Trovan Victims’ Forum from the DNA test, Hajiya Asabe said:
“It is a shame that they are deceiving ordinary poor people. Alhaji Maisikeli had thought that the Pfizer compensation would be a free-for-all. Now that he sees that DNA is being used, he knows that his false claims will be exposed. And that is why he is trying to save his face by staying away. I swear in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, my own claim is genuine. Maisikeli can’t swear by the Holy Quran that his claim is authentic. None of the Trovan participants belonged to any club or “forum” when they were being tested. Why should anyone now claim to be acting for them? Let the Board handle all cases on individual merit as they are doing. As I said, I am happy that I came for this exercise and all the other people on the queue with us were happy. “
Some of the other DNA participants alleged that they had been discouraged by TVF not to come for the test. According to them, the TVF leaders said that they (TVF) were the final clearing house for claims. They said anyone who went for the Bode Laboratories test arranged by the Board of Trustees would still have to pass the TVF test because only the TVF would have access to the compensation money. It was only after the claimants discussed the matter with more knowledgeable people that they realized that the TVF was only trying to scuttle the DNA test because it would expose their false claims.
As the Kano State government made spirited moves to assist the Board to do a credible job, many observers were wondering how a group of criminally-minded persons would be allowed to continue tarnishing the image of the country just because they want to get away with fraudulent claims. Many civil society groups who witnessed the Day One of the tests were full of praise for the Board under the leadership of Justice Wali.
Maisikeli’s dream of making billions of naira through a sustained blackmail of Pfizer and the Kano State Government is going up in smoke. Those who know him warn that he is going to come up with more desperate schemes. But observers are not really worried about that because they believe that the law enforcement agencies are up to the task.
Considering the negative publicity that the Board had suffered in the recent past, courtesy of the Trovan Victims’ Forum whose leader, Alhaji Maisikeli seems scared to the death of DNA tests, many people had wondered if anyone would turn up at all for the commencement of the DNA. As it turned out, many claimants turned up. Some had not bothered to check the roster for their scheduled time of test; they simply showed up. The Board explained the process and schedule to them. For those who were scheduled to be processed today, it was a dream fulfilled as they took their turns to participate in the DNA test and thereby inch their way towards claiming compensation if they are proven to be genuine Trovan participants.
In all, 22 families were tested on the first day. We noticed that in some cases five members of the same family came together to establish claim on their deceased relative. In all cases, as long as blood ties were claimed, they were allowed to go in for the test.
Some civil society groups crowded round the participants as they made their way out after the test to ask them how they felt about the whole process.
“I am happy that I came”, said Hajiya Asabe who claimed to be a blood relative of a deceased participant. “Three of us came from our family. We are so sure that our late relative participated in the Trovan trials. It is only Allah that gives life, so we are not quarrelling with anybody. All we want is the compensation promised the families. Anyone who has a genuine claim like ours has nothing to fear. If you are sure that your claim is genuine, why would you not come? Those who are campaigning against DNA test are fraudulent people”.
On the withdrawal of the Trovan Victims’ Forum from the DNA test, Hajiya Asabe said:
“It is a shame that they are deceiving ordinary poor people. Alhaji Maisikeli had thought that the Pfizer compensation would be a free-for-all. Now that he sees that DNA is being used, he knows that his false claims will be exposed. And that is why he is trying to save his face by staying away. I swear in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, my own claim is genuine. Maisikeli can’t swear by the Holy Quran that his claim is authentic. None of the Trovan participants belonged to any club or “forum” when they were being tested. Why should anyone now claim to be acting for them? Let the Board handle all cases on individual merit as they are doing. As I said, I am happy that I came for this exercise and all the other people on the queue with us were happy. “
Some of the other DNA participants alleged that they had been discouraged by TVF not to come for the test. According to them, the TVF leaders said that they (TVF) were the final clearing house for claims. They said anyone who went for the Bode Laboratories test arranged by the Board of Trustees would still have to pass the TVF test because only the TVF would have access to the compensation money. It was only after the claimants discussed the matter with more knowledgeable people that they realized that the TVF was only trying to scuttle the DNA test because it would expose their false claims.
As the Kano State government made spirited moves to assist the Board to do a credible job, many observers were wondering how a group of criminally-minded persons would be allowed to continue tarnishing the image of the country just because they want to get away with fraudulent claims. Many civil society groups who witnessed the Day One of the tests were full of praise for the Board under the leadership of Justice Wali.
Maisikeli’s dream of making billions of naira through a sustained blackmail of Pfizer and the Kano State Government is going up in smoke. Those who know him warn that he is going to come up with more desperate schemes. But observers are not really worried about that because they believe that the law enforcement agencies are up to the task.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Why the Meningitis Trust Board is under fire by TVF
... News Analysis
Suddenly the Pfizer/Kano State Healthcare Project Trust Board and the Meningitis Trust Board are under spirited attacks by Alhaji Mustapha Maisikeli of the Trovan Victims’ Forum, TVF. Various slanderous claims bordering on libel are being flaunted as evidence that the members of the two Boards are only interested in looking after themselves and taking care of their expensive tastes instead of dispensing cash to the beneficiaries of the Trovan settlement.
A critical analysis of the latest development and the undercurrents in Kano shows that the Board is being maligned because it has not lived up to the financial expectations of its critics in the TVF. Apparently, the TVF leadership expects to be compensated for having championed the cause of the patients for several years. At the beginning, observers thought that the TVF was an altruistic organization fighting on the side of the masses, but subsequent events have shown that it was a commercial proposition with the ultimate goal of profiting from the tragic circumstances of the ill-fated trials.
Alhaji Maisikeli’s main grouse, it seems, is that he was not carried along in the settlement process. In the local lingo of Nigeria, ‘carry along’ implies benefitting from the largesse. Its synonym is ‘settle’. The two Boards have not been able to ‘settle’ the leadership of TVF, hence the resort by Maisikeli and his lieutenants to open blackmail. Justice Wali inadvertently incurred further wrath of the TVF when, in answer to a journalist’s question during the handover of patients’ records by Pfizer to the Board in Abuja, he declared that the Board had no business with the Trovan Victims’ Forum and that each claimant would be considered individually and compensation cheques would also be handed over to each verified participant individually.
It is safe to assume, knowing the social framework and antecedents of the wolf-criers, that if they had been ‘settled’, we wouldn’t be hearing anything negative about the Board from their quarters now.
From all indications, especially judging from intelligence gathered by civil society groups in Kano, the insistence of both the Kano State Government and the pharmaceutical giants Pfizer on conducting DNA tests on claimants was the fatal bullet that dealt a death blow to the plans of the TVF kingpins. The way and manner Maisikeli opposed the DNA testing even after the Emir of Kano and other prominent citizens had supported its use, gave the game away.
Why would a man fighting on the side of the people oppose a procedure that would ensure that only genuine participants in the trials are compensated? The answer is that the man has his own agenda and his own list of fake beneficiaries. He had thought that it would be an all comers affair and that he could smuggle names into the official list and bulldoze his way into collecting compensation for those on his list irrespective of whether they were genuine participants or not.
Now that it is clear that the DNA test is inevitable and on course, the TVF’s next strategic move is to discredit the Board so that whatever the outcome of the ongoing process, there would be a shadow of doubt about the results and also about the midwife of the process.
Now, which way forward? The Board handling the compensation process should continue to ignore Maisikeli. He is not a Trovan participant and his claim that his children were victims can only be confirmed by DNA test which he is opposing. While calling on the Board to do everything humanly possible to fast-track the processing of claims and tests, we enjoin them to continue to be thorough and thick-skinned. Judging from his antecedents it is not likely that Maisikeli would relent. Rather he will intensify attacks on all concerned. The closer it gets to the final compensation payment, the fiercer his attacks will be.
The only way the Boards can discharge their duties creditably is to keep their focus on their assignment and be true to their conscience and their God. Insha Allah, only the true, verified, genuine, DNA-tested Trovan participants will receive compensation. That is the prayer of every Nigerian of conscience.
Suddenly the Pfizer/Kano State Healthcare Project Trust Board and the Meningitis Trust Board are under spirited attacks by Alhaji Mustapha Maisikeli of the Trovan Victims’ Forum, TVF. Various slanderous claims bordering on libel are being flaunted as evidence that the members of the two Boards are only interested in looking after themselves and taking care of their expensive tastes instead of dispensing cash to the beneficiaries of the Trovan settlement.
A critical analysis of the latest development and the undercurrents in Kano shows that the Board is being maligned because it has not lived up to the financial expectations of its critics in the TVF. Apparently, the TVF leadership expects to be compensated for having championed the cause of the patients for several years. At the beginning, observers thought that the TVF was an altruistic organization fighting on the side of the masses, but subsequent events have shown that it was a commercial proposition with the ultimate goal of profiting from the tragic circumstances of the ill-fated trials.
Alhaji Maisikeli’s main grouse, it seems, is that he was not carried along in the settlement process. In the local lingo of Nigeria, ‘carry along’ implies benefitting from the largesse. Its synonym is ‘settle’. The two Boards have not been able to ‘settle’ the leadership of TVF, hence the resort by Maisikeli and his lieutenants to open blackmail. Justice Wali inadvertently incurred further wrath of the TVF when, in answer to a journalist’s question during the handover of patients’ records by Pfizer to the Board in Abuja, he declared that the Board had no business with the Trovan Victims’ Forum and that each claimant would be considered individually and compensation cheques would also be handed over to each verified participant individually.
It is safe to assume, knowing the social framework and antecedents of the wolf-criers, that if they had been ‘settled’, we wouldn’t be hearing anything negative about the Board from their quarters now.
From all indications, especially judging from intelligence gathered by civil society groups in Kano, the insistence of both the Kano State Government and the pharmaceutical giants Pfizer on conducting DNA tests on claimants was the fatal bullet that dealt a death blow to the plans of the TVF kingpins. The way and manner Maisikeli opposed the DNA testing even after the Emir of Kano and other prominent citizens had supported its use, gave the game away.
Why would a man fighting on the side of the people oppose a procedure that would ensure that only genuine participants in the trials are compensated? The answer is that the man has his own agenda and his own list of fake beneficiaries. He had thought that it would be an all comers affair and that he could smuggle names into the official list and bulldoze his way into collecting compensation for those on his list irrespective of whether they were genuine participants or not.
Now that it is clear that the DNA test is inevitable and on course, the TVF’s next strategic move is to discredit the Board so that whatever the outcome of the ongoing process, there would be a shadow of doubt about the results and also about the midwife of the process.
Now, which way forward? The Board handling the compensation process should continue to ignore Maisikeli. He is not a Trovan participant and his claim that his children were victims can only be confirmed by DNA test which he is opposing. While calling on the Board to do everything humanly possible to fast-track the processing of claims and tests, we enjoin them to continue to be thorough and thick-skinned. Judging from his antecedents it is not likely that Maisikeli would relent. Rather he will intensify attacks on all concerned. The closer it gets to the final compensation payment, the fiercer his attacks will be.
The only way the Boards can discharge their duties creditably is to keep their focus on their assignment and be true to their conscience and their God. Insha Allah, only the true, verified, genuine, DNA-tested Trovan participants will receive compensation. That is the prayer of every Nigerian of conscience.
Monday, March 8, 2010
I didn’t receive car gift from Pfizer — Wali
(Vanguard) Mar 8, 2010
By AbdulSalam Muhammad
KANO — Chairman, Meningitis Trust Fund, Justice Bashir Wali, has denied receiving car gift from US-based pharmaceuticals giant, Pfizer, following allegation by victims of sustained effort by the latter to frustrate paying full compensations to victims of 1996 Trovan test in Kano.
The former Supreme Court Justice told journalists in Kano that the Board which he oversees as chairman had no access to Pfizer fund, let alone appropriating it.
“Nobody gave me car, the one I am using was given to me by the government and it’s five years old now. Besides, we have no control of the Pfizer fund,” Wali said.
The denial by Wali was sequel to allegation that members of the Trust Board has been given SUV car each at the cost of $4.5 million made available by Pfizer for secretariat upkeep, against the backdrop of threat by victims to drag Pfizer to court again.
Wali explained that funds disbursed by Pfizer was domiciled in one of the old generation banks, stressing that expenses approved by the Board were subject to the approval of the Executive Secretary of the Board who is an appointee of the pharmaceutical giant.
“We don’t have the custody of the funds and Pfizer has not transmitted a dime to the Board since its inception. We are a trustee but not trusted with anything,” Wali said.
Chairman said the Board had, however, made in-roads into its set target, pointing out that no fewer than 700 people have been identified to undergo a DNA test to ascertain their status.
He said a US-based technological institute had been commissioned to conduct the test, adding that the exercise will take six weeks.
He expressed optimism that the Board would round off its assignment in good time, pointing out that as soon as the DNA results are made available, victims will be recommended for compensation.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/03/08/i-didnt-receive-car-gift-from-pfizer-%E2%80%94-wali/
By AbdulSalam Muhammad
KANO — Chairman, Meningitis Trust Fund, Justice Bashir Wali, has denied receiving car gift from US-based pharmaceuticals giant, Pfizer, following allegation by victims of sustained effort by the latter to frustrate paying full compensations to victims of 1996 Trovan test in Kano.
The former Supreme Court Justice told journalists in Kano that the Board which he oversees as chairman had no access to Pfizer fund, let alone appropriating it.
“Nobody gave me car, the one I am using was given to me by the government and it’s five years old now. Besides, we have no control of the Pfizer fund,” Wali said.
The denial by Wali was sequel to allegation that members of the Trust Board has been given SUV car each at the cost of $4.5 million made available by Pfizer for secretariat upkeep, against the backdrop of threat by victims to drag Pfizer to court again.
Wali explained that funds disbursed by Pfizer was domiciled in one of the old generation banks, stressing that expenses approved by the Board were subject to the approval of the Executive Secretary of the Board who is an appointee of the pharmaceutical giant.
“We don’t have the custody of the funds and Pfizer has not transmitted a dime to the Board since its inception. We are a trustee but not trusted with anything,” Wali said.
Chairman said the Board had, however, made in-roads into its set target, pointing out that no fewer than 700 people have been identified to undergo a DNA test to ascertain their status.
He said a US-based technological institute had been commissioned to conduct the test, adding that the exercise will take six weeks.
He expressed optimism that the Board would round off its assignment in good time, pointing out that as soon as the DNA results are made available, victims will be recommended for compensation.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/03/08/i-didnt-receive-car-gift-from-pfizer-%E2%80%94-wali/
Pfizer yet to release money, says Justice Wali
(People’s Daily)March 8, 2010
Justice Abubakar Bashir Wali is a retired Supreme Court Judge and now Chairman of Pfizer’s Kano State Meningitis Trust Board, the body charged with identifying and onward payment of compensation to victims of Pfizer’s ‘Trovan’ drug test of 1996 in Kano. In this Interview with our Kano correspondent, Bala Nasir, Wali reveals all the intricacies in the payment of compensation to the affected victims. Excerpts:
Could you give us an update on the activities of the Trust Board so far?
Well, I welcome you to the office of the two Trust Boards which were set up by the Kano state government and Pfizer to manage the amount agreed between the Kano state government and Pfizer International as compensation to what happened during the exercise conducted by Pfizer when they administered some drugs supposed to be curing meningitis. In 1996 there was meningitis out break here in Kano and Pfizer volunteered to come and assist. Unfortunately, for one reason or the other, some things went wrong. I don’t know why, but anyhow, after an exercise some things went wrong and for some time nobody did anything. Then some of the individuals affected decided to go to court and when they went to court, I think some Samaritans formed themselves into a sort of union and spearheaded the litigation. I think you know the name of the union they formed headed by Maisikeli. They went to court and the litigation started. I think there was litigation and some (others) probably instituted another action in the United States, claiming compensations for what happened to them as a result of the exercise conducted by Pfizer. The Kano state government decided to come in so that they could be monitoring everything and then instructed the Attorney General of the state to take over the prosecution of the cases, both the civil and the criminal. Somehow, the matter continued to linger in court. The procedural process is not all that easy, there is filing pleas; statement of claims; amending this; amending that; the judge is not available; he is being given official assignment; he is in the election petition (tribunal) and so forth. So, some big people both within and outside Nigeria decided to intervene so that there would be amicable settlement of the whole issue between the Kano state government who has taken over the prosecution of this matter on behalf of the citizens of Kano state to meet Pfizer so that they can settle the matter out of court. Meetings were held within and outside Nigeria to try and settle. During the process, the President of Nigeria was briefed, Federal Ministry of Justice was in the know, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano knew what was going on, and they met at several places outside Nigeria. Finally, they met in London. At the time they met in London there was a representative from Kano state government on behalf of those that were affected and representatives from Pfizer and Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States and our revered (former) head of state, General Yakubu Gowon was also in the team to try and settle. They discussed (and) after long arguments and processes they agreed to settle and the amount they agreed to settle on was $75 million. Out of this, $35 million was for the victims of meningitis and $30 million for building of medical unit to cater for these types of diseases. They also agreed to compensate the state government for their legal expenses and I think they agreed on $10 million. As a result of this, the two sides agreed to set up two trust boards, one is to monitor the payment of compensation to affected victims of the ‘Trovan’ exercise. The other trust board is to supervise the construction of this medical unit. The one for compensation has been put under my chairmanship. The other committee or trust board has been put under His Excellency, Professor Shehu Galadanci, former ambassador.
What informed the delay in the take off of these Boards, because the two Boards did not take off immediately after the signing of the agreement?
The Boards were supposed to take off some time in August (last year). Unfortunately, due to secretariat work, the boards could not take off because one of the conditions agreed upon is that, the trust boards were not supposed to use anything belonging to either state government or Pfizer. The agreement between them for the boards, is that there will be six trustees with a chairman, Kano state government will provide three and Pfizer will provide three that is, six for the Meningitis Trust Board and likewise, the Trust Board headed by Professor Galadanci consists of six members, three to be appointed by the state government (and the other) three to be appointed by Pfizer. In my Board, as I said, I am the chairman and there is on the Board Honourable Justice Alfa Belgore, the retired Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). There is also Dr, Borodo, there is Professor Muntaqil, there is Dr. Prosper who is a medical practitioner based in Abuja; Justice Belgore also lives in Abuja. The chairmen of the two boards are to be appointed by the state government, Pfizer would provide an executive secretary who is this gentleman Mr. David (points at him). He controls the finances of the two Trust Boards. The Boards could not take off due to logistics and other problems. We were able to have our first inaugural meeting, I think some time in September and at that time we started looking for a place to accommodate the staff of the Trust Boards and a place where we can conduct our meetings. Formerly, we were meeting at the Prince Hotel, this place, (current secretariat) was acquired I think some time around December. At the time we acquired it, it was just a finished house. We tried to provide all the furniture and everything. All these are to come from the $30 million allocated for the building of the medical unit. Out of it, $5 million was set aside for workings of the secretariat. We started, and with the help of God, we were able to move in here from Prince Hotel I think towards the end of December.
About the claims form, what criteria have you laid down before victims could benefit?
There are three set of claimants: one, those who died due to the exercise; those who died may be after the exercise, those who participated but are still alive. For those who are already dead, they may have relations who would come forward to claim compensations on behalf of their loved ones who passed away. A criteria has been set to identify the relationship between the deceased and the claimant, either its mother, its father or its immediate brother or close relation. That is why this DNA test has been introduced because according to Pfizer, during the exercise, they only administered these drugs on 200 people from the ages of three months. But during the exercise, over 700 people collected these forms. So, you can see the desirability of strict following or strict guidelines laid down to identify the actual claimants. This DNA test, we don’t have the facilities to have it conducted in Nigeria. So, as a result, there is a company based in the United States, BODE Technology, we have been in contact with them and have finally settled on a draft agreement which the Secretary in BODE Technology will sign so that they will come here when we are ready to conduct the DNA test. This DNA test involved taking samples of the close relations, either father, mother, brother, sister or very close relations after taking either blood or saliva or even mucus, they will send to their laboratory in the United States for analysis. This will take not less than six weeks. After receiving this result then the Board will meet and identify those who are really involved or whether the person who claims to be a relation to the victim is in fact his relation. We will try to avoid people committing fraud in trying to receive this money. During our meeting with Pfizer in Abuja last month, they gave us samples with names and addresses of those who participated. When they were conducting the exercise they took the photographs of those who participated and samples of their DNA, all these they have documented. Those who returned the application forms for compensation will be screened by two of our doctors who are on the Board of Trustees, namely: Dr. Borodo and Professor Muntaqil. They have identified 200 plus, whom they will screen again before these people are invited from the United States to come and take the samples for the DNA test. They will soon start this exercise may be next week (this week) or even before the end of last week. When that is started, then we are meeting to finalise the draft agreement sent by BODE Technology so that, the Secretary and the pharmaceutical company who will conduct the DNA test will sign the agreement. Once it is signed, then, we will set a date when they will come with their staff to take the samples and then pass it to United States for analysis. So, as far as that one is concerned this is where we are. But all these expenses will be paid from the amount allocated for the medical unit, that is, the extra $5 million.
Looks like something is amiss somewhere in that agreement?
Probably, both we in the two Boards do not seem to agree with both the state government and Pfizer on the clause they inserted in the agreement that, in case compensation for the meningitis exercise is paid and there is a balance of any amount, this balance will go back to Pfizer. We disagree with them on this conclusion. My experience as a former judge, where you settle a case out of court, you agreed on an amount of compensation to be paid. The person paying the compensation would have no right to come back to say he wants part of that money. As far as my experience in the judiciary is concerned, this is not possible, but this is contained in the agreement. It is one of the issues that we want the two Boards review. Our suggestion is that if the Meningitis Trust Board cannot dispose the whole amount, whatever remains will go to this medical unit building because, it is the amount belonging to those affected by meningitis. Therefore, the generality of the people of Kano state should benefit, not Pfizer. In the agreement, there is a clause which provides that in case of any litigation by any participant here in Kano, the state government would compensate Pfizer, it is part of the agreement, I don’t know why they agree with that clause? The other issue is that, as trustees, not a single kobo has been transmitted to the Trust Board. There is no single penny under the Trust Board, Pfizer has retained the money. What they agreed upon is that when the exercise is conducted, anybody who has proved his case and he is entitled to be compensated, the Board will decide what amount he will take. In case of death, they have all agreed that $175,000 will be paid. Otherwise, if there is a deformity or any defect, the Board will assess how much a particular individual will get. Those who participated, even if they are not affected, they have no injury or any deformity, the two parties agreed (those in this category) each will get $10,000. But the most important thing to note is that, we are Trustees, according to law of Trust when you trust somebody what he is to administer should be put under his care. It is alright they agreed to open an account here in Kano in a bank of their own choice, that is, Afribank. They will transmit whatever they approved into this account with the name of the person entitled, ours is only to write a cheque and give this man to go and collect his money. My experience as a lawyer, when you trust somebody with something, the subject of trust should be under his control. In one of the clauses, they even provided that, if there is any balance of this money, the Trust Board should return the money to them. Now, can you return what you don’t have? We have no custody of this money, not a penny, I emphasize that Pfizer did not transmit a kobo to the Meningitis Trust Board, we are not given anything. In addition, I didn’t mention, whenever we sit here, there is an allowance they pay us for any meeting we hold. It is also from this amount as no amount has been set aside for payment of allowances for meeting of the trustees. Two issues which are most important: we are trustees but we are not trusted with anything. Two, if there is settlement out of a court, the money belongs to the people who are entitled to have this money even if there is a balance. The two Trust Boards are of the opinion that Pfizer should not get a penny out of it. It should be invested in the medical unit which is to be built for the benefit of the entire people of Kano state.
The affected victims complain of too much delay in the procedure for payment; why is it so?
If you look at the agreement setting up the two Trust boards the procedure to arrive at the point that we decide to pay this money is a long journey. It is not something that says when you come. I have seen your form; yes you are affected or bring a witness and I listen to the witness. Yes, I agree with the witness, you will be paid. The procedure is not like that, if you claim, you have to go through this DNA test unless probably the DNA test could not provide a solution, then the Board is given a little discretion to look into the material before it and decide whether in fact this claimant participated in the exercise and told you when these people come they took samples to go back to the United States, it will take at least six weeks before we get the results. It was upon these results that we shall sit down and decide. Two, at the moment, we have about 200 plus people who have been identified as participants according to the applications. The two doctors on the Board have agreed, subject to payment to them for their work, to go through these 200 applications and identify whom they think from the information contained in the application are likely to have participated. These people are not yet here, they are coming probably before the end of March hopefully. When they come, as I said, they will be accommodated from this amount here in Kano, they will be provided with transport, everything and they charged an amount they will claim per each person they take his sample for testing. This is so far where we have gone. Apart from that, things are going on the part of the building. I know we have identified the site, I was among the team who went and inspected this medical unit along Dawaki Road. We have identified the area suitable for putting up this unit and I think that, the amount involved for this will be about $25 or $27 million not more than that.
Where exactly are the funds with which you are running the secretariat and the DNA thing is coming from?
They are all from that $30 million for the building of the medical unit. That is, $5 million for the running of the secretariat, the DNA test, hosting of these people from the US and everything is from this $5 million even the fees, in fact, everything is tied to this amount. Mark you, there are two Trust Boards as I told you, there is the one for Professor Galadanci. This $30 million is under the control of the second Trust Board under Professor Galadanci, out of that, I think they released about $10 million which we are now utilising to acquire these. If the money is not finished at the end, a return will have to be made to Pfizer. Even then, they said, we should not exceed $5 million for the cost of running the secretariat and everything, $25 million is for medical unit. If the money finishes probably, we shall be stuck and the work will stop because it is part of the agreement that we should not exceed this $5 million for running the secretariat and all other ancillaries.
Source: http://www.peoplesdaily-online.com/index.php/news/special-report/57-special-report/10452-pfizer-yet-to-release-money-for-payment-to-kano-drug-test-victims-says-justice-bashir-wali
Justice Abubakar Bashir Wali is a retired Supreme Court Judge and now Chairman of Pfizer’s Kano State Meningitis Trust Board, the body charged with identifying and onward payment of compensation to victims of Pfizer’s ‘Trovan’ drug test of 1996 in Kano. In this Interview with our Kano correspondent, Bala Nasir, Wali reveals all the intricacies in the payment of compensation to the affected victims. Excerpts:
Could you give us an update on the activities of the Trust Board so far?
Well, I welcome you to the office of the two Trust Boards which were set up by the Kano state government and Pfizer to manage the amount agreed between the Kano state government and Pfizer International as compensation to what happened during the exercise conducted by Pfizer when they administered some drugs supposed to be curing meningitis. In 1996 there was meningitis out break here in Kano and Pfizer volunteered to come and assist. Unfortunately, for one reason or the other, some things went wrong. I don’t know why, but anyhow, after an exercise some things went wrong and for some time nobody did anything. Then some of the individuals affected decided to go to court and when they went to court, I think some Samaritans formed themselves into a sort of union and spearheaded the litigation. I think you know the name of the union they formed headed by Maisikeli. They went to court and the litigation started. I think there was litigation and some (others) probably instituted another action in the United States, claiming compensations for what happened to them as a result of the exercise conducted by Pfizer. The Kano state government decided to come in so that they could be monitoring everything and then instructed the Attorney General of the state to take over the prosecution of the cases, both the civil and the criminal. Somehow, the matter continued to linger in court. The procedural process is not all that easy, there is filing pleas; statement of claims; amending this; amending that; the judge is not available; he is being given official assignment; he is in the election petition (tribunal) and so forth. So, some big people both within and outside Nigeria decided to intervene so that there would be amicable settlement of the whole issue between the Kano state government who has taken over the prosecution of this matter on behalf of the citizens of Kano state to meet Pfizer so that they can settle the matter out of court. Meetings were held within and outside Nigeria to try and settle. During the process, the President of Nigeria was briefed, Federal Ministry of Justice was in the know, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano knew what was going on, and they met at several places outside Nigeria. Finally, they met in London. At the time they met in London there was a representative from Kano state government on behalf of those that were affected and representatives from Pfizer and Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States and our revered (former) head of state, General Yakubu Gowon was also in the team to try and settle. They discussed (and) after long arguments and processes they agreed to settle and the amount they agreed to settle on was $75 million. Out of this, $35 million was for the victims of meningitis and $30 million for building of medical unit to cater for these types of diseases. They also agreed to compensate the state government for their legal expenses and I think they agreed on $10 million. As a result of this, the two sides agreed to set up two trust boards, one is to monitor the payment of compensation to affected victims of the ‘Trovan’ exercise. The other trust board is to supervise the construction of this medical unit. The one for compensation has been put under my chairmanship. The other committee or trust board has been put under His Excellency, Professor Shehu Galadanci, former ambassador.
What informed the delay in the take off of these Boards, because the two Boards did not take off immediately after the signing of the agreement?
The Boards were supposed to take off some time in August (last year). Unfortunately, due to secretariat work, the boards could not take off because one of the conditions agreed upon is that, the trust boards were not supposed to use anything belonging to either state government or Pfizer. The agreement between them for the boards, is that there will be six trustees with a chairman, Kano state government will provide three and Pfizer will provide three that is, six for the Meningitis Trust Board and likewise, the Trust Board headed by Professor Galadanci consists of six members, three to be appointed by the state government (and the other) three to be appointed by Pfizer. In my Board, as I said, I am the chairman and there is on the Board Honourable Justice Alfa Belgore, the retired Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). There is also Dr, Borodo, there is Professor Muntaqil, there is Dr. Prosper who is a medical practitioner based in Abuja; Justice Belgore also lives in Abuja. The chairmen of the two boards are to be appointed by the state government, Pfizer would provide an executive secretary who is this gentleman Mr. David (points at him). He controls the finances of the two Trust Boards. The Boards could not take off due to logistics and other problems. We were able to have our first inaugural meeting, I think some time in September and at that time we started looking for a place to accommodate the staff of the Trust Boards and a place where we can conduct our meetings. Formerly, we were meeting at the Prince Hotel, this place, (current secretariat) was acquired I think some time around December. At the time we acquired it, it was just a finished house. We tried to provide all the furniture and everything. All these are to come from the $30 million allocated for the building of the medical unit. Out of it, $5 million was set aside for workings of the secretariat. We started, and with the help of God, we were able to move in here from Prince Hotel I think towards the end of December.
About the claims form, what criteria have you laid down before victims could benefit?
There are three set of claimants: one, those who died due to the exercise; those who died may be after the exercise, those who participated but are still alive. For those who are already dead, they may have relations who would come forward to claim compensations on behalf of their loved ones who passed away. A criteria has been set to identify the relationship between the deceased and the claimant, either its mother, its father or its immediate brother or close relation. That is why this DNA test has been introduced because according to Pfizer, during the exercise, they only administered these drugs on 200 people from the ages of three months. But during the exercise, over 700 people collected these forms. So, you can see the desirability of strict following or strict guidelines laid down to identify the actual claimants. This DNA test, we don’t have the facilities to have it conducted in Nigeria. So, as a result, there is a company based in the United States, BODE Technology, we have been in contact with them and have finally settled on a draft agreement which the Secretary in BODE Technology will sign so that they will come here when we are ready to conduct the DNA test. This DNA test involved taking samples of the close relations, either father, mother, brother, sister or very close relations after taking either blood or saliva or even mucus, they will send to their laboratory in the United States for analysis. This will take not less than six weeks. After receiving this result then the Board will meet and identify those who are really involved or whether the person who claims to be a relation to the victim is in fact his relation. We will try to avoid people committing fraud in trying to receive this money. During our meeting with Pfizer in Abuja last month, they gave us samples with names and addresses of those who participated. When they were conducting the exercise they took the photographs of those who participated and samples of their DNA, all these they have documented. Those who returned the application forms for compensation will be screened by two of our doctors who are on the Board of Trustees, namely: Dr. Borodo and Professor Muntaqil. They have identified 200 plus, whom they will screen again before these people are invited from the United States to come and take the samples for the DNA test. They will soon start this exercise may be next week (this week) or even before the end of last week. When that is started, then we are meeting to finalise the draft agreement sent by BODE Technology so that, the Secretary and the pharmaceutical company who will conduct the DNA test will sign the agreement. Once it is signed, then, we will set a date when they will come with their staff to take the samples and then pass it to United States for analysis. So, as far as that one is concerned this is where we are. But all these expenses will be paid from the amount allocated for the medical unit, that is, the extra $5 million.
Looks like something is amiss somewhere in that agreement?
Probably, both we in the two Boards do not seem to agree with both the state government and Pfizer on the clause they inserted in the agreement that, in case compensation for the meningitis exercise is paid and there is a balance of any amount, this balance will go back to Pfizer. We disagree with them on this conclusion. My experience as a former judge, where you settle a case out of court, you agreed on an amount of compensation to be paid. The person paying the compensation would have no right to come back to say he wants part of that money. As far as my experience in the judiciary is concerned, this is not possible, but this is contained in the agreement. It is one of the issues that we want the two Boards review. Our suggestion is that if the Meningitis Trust Board cannot dispose the whole amount, whatever remains will go to this medical unit building because, it is the amount belonging to those affected by meningitis. Therefore, the generality of the people of Kano state should benefit, not Pfizer. In the agreement, there is a clause which provides that in case of any litigation by any participant here in Kano, the state government would compensate Pfizer, it is part of the agreement, I don’t know why they agree with that clause? The other issue is that, as trustees, not a single kobo has been transmitted to the Trust Board. There is no single penny under the Trust Board, Pfizer has retained the money. What they agreed upon is that when the exercise is conducted, anybody who has proved his case and he is entitled to be compensated, the Board will decide what amount he will take. In case of death, they have all agreed that $175,000 will be paid. Otherwise, if there is a deformity or any defect, the Board will assess how much a particular individual will get. Those who participated, even if they are not affected, they have no injury or any deformity, the two parties agreed (those in this category) each will get $10,000. But the most important thing to note is that, we are Trustees, according to law of Trust when you trust somebody what he is to administer should be put under his care. It is alright they agreed to open an account here in Kano in a bank of their own choice, that is, Afribank. They will transmit whatever they approved into this account with the name of the person entitled, ours is only to write a cheque and give this man to go and collect his money. My experience as a lawyer, when you trust somebody with something, the subject of trust should be under his control. In one of the clauses, they even provided that, if there is any balance of this money, the Trust Board should return the money to them. Now, can you return what you don’t have? We have no custody of this money, not a penny, I emphasize that Pfizer did not transmit a kobo to the Meningitis Trust Board, we are not given anything. In addition, I didn’t mention, whenever we sit here, there is an allowance they pay us for any meeting we hold. It is also from this amount as no amount has been set aside for payment of allowances for meeting of the trustees. Two issues which are most important: we are trustees but we are not trusted with anything. Two, if there is settlement out of a court, the money belongs to the people who are entitled to have this money even if there is a balance. The two Trust Boards are of the opinion that Pfizer should not get a penny out of it. It should be invested in the medical unit which is to be built for the benefit of the entire people of Kano state.
The affected victims complain of too much delay in the procedure for payment; why is it so?
If you look at the agreement setting up the two Trust boards the procedure to arrive at the point that we decide to pay this money is a long journey. It is not something that says when you come. I have seen your form; yes you are affected or bring a witness and I listen to the witness. Yes, I agree with the witness, you will be paid. The procedure is not like that, if you claim, you have to go through this DNA test unless probably the DNA test could not provide a solution, then the Board is given a little discretion to look into the material before it and decide whether in fact this claimant participated in the exercise and told you when these people come they took samples to go back to the United States, it will take at least six weeks before we get the results. It was upon these results that we shall sit down and decide. Two, at the moment, we have about 200 plus people who have been identified as participants according to the applications. The two doctors on the Board have agreed, subject to payment to them for their work, to go through these 200 applications and identify whom they think from the information contained in the application are likely to have participated. These people are not yet here, they are coming probably before the end of March hopefully. When they come, as I said, they will be accommodated from this amount here in Kano, they will be provided with transport, everything and they charged an amount they will claim per each person they take his sample for testing. This is so far where we have gone. Apart from that, things are going on the part of the building. I know we have identified the site, I was among the team who went and inspected this medical unit along Dawaki Road. We have identified the area suitable for putting up this unit and I think that, the amount involved for this will be about $25 or $27 million not more than that.
Where exactly are the funds with which you are running the secretariat and the DNA thing is coming from?
They are all from that $30 million for the building of the medical unit. That is, $5 million for the running of the secretariat, the DNA test, hosting of these people from the US and everything is from this $5 million even the fees, in fact, everything is tied to this amount. Mark you, there are two Trust Boards as I told you, there is the one for Professor Galadanci. This $30 million is under the control of the second Trust Board under Professor Galadanci, out of that, I think they released about $10 million which we are now utilising to acquire these. If the money is not finished at the end, a return will have to be made to Pfizer. Even then, they said, we should not exceed $5 million for the cost of running the secretariat and everything, $25 million is for medical unit. If the money finishes probably, we shall be stuck and the work will stop because it is part of the agreement that we should not exceed this $5 million for running the secretariat and all other ancillaries.
Source: http://www.peoplesdaily-online.com/index.php/news/special-report/57-special-report/10452-pfizer-yet-to-release-money-for-payment-to-kano-drug-test-victims-says-justice-bashir-wali
Monday, February 22, 2010
A Comparative Study of Trovan and Ceftriaxone
Overview
• A January 2002 article in The Pediatric Infections Disease Journal discusses the results of a global clinical trial conducted in children with bacterial meningitis comparing intravenous Trovan and Ceftriaxone.
• The research shows that there was no significant difference in outcomes when patients were treated with either Trovan or Ceftriaxone.
• The article concludes that Trovan is an effective antibiotic for the treatment of pediatric bacterial meningitis.
Clinical Trial Background
• The purpose of the trial was to compare the safety and efficacy of Trovan with that of Ceftriaxone.
• The clinical trial was conducted from April 28, 1998 to July 12, 1999 in multiple sites in 11 countries in North, Central and South America, Egypt, South Africa and Hungary.
• The clinical trial received approval from the review boards of each participating institution.
• Parents or legal guardians of the children, aged three months to 12 years, provided written informed consent to participate in the clinical trial.
• All of the children who participated in the clinical trial had signs and symptoms suggesting bacterial meningitis and CSF analysis compatible with bacterial cause.
Clinical Trial Results
• The results from the trial concluded that there were no significant differences between Trovan and Ceftriaxone. Five to seven weeks after treatment, there was a clinical success rate of 78 percent for Trovan and 81 percent for Ceftriaxone; as well as a death rate of two percent for Trovan and three percent for Ceftriaxone.
• The results suggest that Trovan is therapeutically equivalent to Ceftriaxone for the management of bacterial meningitis in infants and children.
• Rates of bacterial eradication, cure, severe sequelae and death were similar for both treatment groups at the end of treatment and at follow-up assessments.
• The study was terminated earlier than planned due to concerns regarding liver toxicity associated with the use of Trovan in adults with severe infections. However, none of the evaluable children developed any significant liver abnormalities.
Conclusion
• The authors conclude that Trovan is an effective antibiotic for treatment of pediatric bacterial meningitis. The results lead the authors to support further evaluation of such therapy for children with meningitis or other serious bacterial infections.
* Source: Saez-Llorens, Xavier, et al. 2002. Quinolone treatment for pediatric bacterial meningitis: a comparative study of trovafloxacin and ceftriaxone with or without vancomycin. The Pediatric Infections Disease Journal 21(1): 14-22.
• A January 2002 article in The Pediatric Infections Disease Journal discusses the results of a global clinical trial conducted in children with bacterial meningitis comparing intravenous Trovan and Ceftriaxone.
• The research shows that there was no significant difference in outcomes when patients were treated with either Trovan or Ceftriaxone.
• The article concludes that Trovan is an effective antibiotic for the treatment of pediatric bacterial meningitis.
Clinical Trial Background
• The purpose of the trial was to compare the safety and efficacy of Trovan with that of Ceftriaxone.
• The clinical trial was conducted from April 28, 1998 to July 12, 1999 in multiple sites in 11 countries in North, Central and South America, Egypt, South Africa and Hungary.
• The clinical trial received approval from the review boards of each participating institution.
• Parents or legal guardians of the children, aged three months to 12 years, provided written informed consent to participate in the clinical trial.
• All of the children who participated in the clinical trial had signs and symptoms suggesting bacterial meningitis and CSF analysis compatible with bacterial cause.
Clinical Trial Results
• The results from the trial concluded that there were no significant differences between Trovan and Ceftriaxone. Five to seven weeks after treatment, there was a clinical success rate of 78 percent for Trovan and 81 percent for Ceftriaxone; as well as a death rate of two percent for Trovan and three percent for Ceftriaxone.
• The results suggest that Trovan is therapeutically equivalent to Ceftriaxone for the management of bacterial meningitis in infants and children.
• Rates of bacterial eradication, cure, severe sequelae and death were similar for both treatment groups at the end of treatment and at follow-up assessments.
• The study was terminated earlier than planned due to concerns regarding liver toxicity associated with the use of Trovan in adults with severe infections. However, none of the evaluable children developed any significant liver abnormalities.
Conclusion
• The authors conclude that Trovan is an effective antibiotic for treatment of pediatric bacterial meningitis. The results lead the authors to support further evaluation of such therapy for children with meningitis or other serious bacterial infections.
* Source: Saez-Llorens, Xavier, et al. 2002. Quinolone treatment for pediatric bacterial meningitis: a comparative study of trovafloxacin and ceftriaxone with or without vancomycin. The Pediatric Infections Disease Journal 21(1): 14-22.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Clinical Trials in Africa
“There is much work to do, but the importance of treatment and public health benefits brought by clinical trials to Africa cannot be over-estimated.”
Culled from “Afroguide: Putting Africa on the Clinical Trials Map” by Samantha Etkin
See:
http://appliedclinicaltrialsonline.findpharma.com/appliedclinicaltrials/Other+Regions/AfroGuide-Putting-Africa-on-the-Clinical-Trials-Ma/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/522045
Culled from “Afroguide: Putting Africa on the Clinical Trials Map” by Samantha Etkin
See:
http://appliedclinicaltrialsonline.findpharma.com/appliedclinicaltrials/Other+Regions/AfroGuide-Putting-Africa-on-the-Clinical-Trials-Ma/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/522045
The Spread of Polio in Nigeria
While the rest of the world has banished polio beyond their borders, Nigeria is still mired in a mixture of politics, superstition and outright wickedness which makes the elite spread false rumours about the immunization exercise while immunizing their own children. How come only the children of the poor are afflicted by polio when immunization is free? The Nigerian elite play politics with everything, including human lives. Perhaps their calculation is that the best way to keep the people down is to keep them crippled – literally – by polio. The World Health Organisation’s report below is quite instructive …
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_07_17/en/index.html
Polio in Nigeria
In 2009, the northern states of Nigeria have experienced a large polio outbreak due to wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) with 258 cases, compared to 32 cases for the same period in 2008. WPV3 from northern Nigeria has this year spread internationally to Niger. Since February 2009, there has also been an increasing number of polio cases due to a type 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) in northern Nigeria (103 cases to date in 2009 compared to 31 cases for the same period in 2008). Both serotypes are at continued, and in the case of the cVDPV2 increasing, risk of international spread. While the number of cVDPV2 cases is lower than WPV3 cases, circulation of this serotype is of particular international concern as the last case of polio due to a circulating wild poliovirus type 2 (WPV2) was in 1999.
In response to these risks, Nigeria has conducted nationwide polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) with monovalent OPV type 3 (mOPV3) in late January 2009 and with trivalent OPV from 30 May to 2 June. Additional SIAs are planned for later in the year, including an SIA with trivalent OPV for August.
To minimize the risk and consequences of international spread of these polioviruses, countries across west and central Africa, particularly those bordering the affected states of northern Nigeria, should enhance surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), identify subnational population immunity gaps, and strengthen routine immunization with trivalent OPV. Countries affected by poliovirus importations should continue to supplement routine immunization with large-scale outbreak response activities with the relevant OPV, as per the WHA Resolution WHA59.1.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_07_17/en/index.html
Polio in Nigeria
In 2009, the northern states of Nigeria have experienced a large polio outbreak due to wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) with 258 cases, compared to 32 cases for the same period in 2008. WPV3 from northern Nigeria has this year spread internationally to Niger. Since February 2009, there has also been an increasing number of polio cases due to a type 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) in northern Nigeria (103 cases to date in 2009 compared to 31 cases for the same period in 2008). Both serotypes are at continued, and in the case of the cVDPV2 increasing, risk of international spread. While the number of cVDPV2 cases is lower than WPV3 cases, circulation of this serotype is of particular international concern as the last case of polio due to a circulating wild poliovirus type 2 (WPV2) was in 1999.
In response to these risks, Nigeria has conducted nationwide polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) with monovalent OPV type 3 (mOPV3) in late January 2009 and with trivalent OPV from 30 May to 2 June. Additional SIAs are planned for later in the year, including an SIA with trivalent OPV for August.
To minimize the risk and consequences of international spread of these polioviruses, countries across west and central Africa, particularly those bordering the affected states of northern Nigeria, should enhance surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), identify subnational population immunity gaps, and strengthen routine immunization with trivalent OPV. Countries affected by poliovirus importations should continue to supplement routine immunization with large-scale outbreak response activities with the relevant OPV, as per the WHA Resolution WHA59.1.
Nigeria, Niger hardest hit by 2009 meningitis epidemic – UN health agency
Crowded markets and living quarters in Nigeria's most populated state, Kano, increase the risk of a meningitis outbreak
27 March 2009 – A vast majority of the nearly 25,000 suspected meningitis cases and more than 15,000 deaths worldwide in the first three months of 2009 have occurred in the so-called “African meningitis belt,” hitting Nigeria and Niger the hardest, the United Nations health agency has reported.
The bulk of the cases in the meningitis belt, stretching from Senegal to Somalia, has been in northern Nigeria, reporting 17,462 suspected cases and 960 deaths, and Niger, with 4,513 suspected cases and 169 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Vaccination campaigns are underway in the two countries, with the support of WHO, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the non-governmental organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
WHO, which is supporting the Nigerian Health Ministry’s efforts to boost disease surveillance, has had technical experts on the ground since last month.
Along with its partners, WHO has released 2.3 million doses of vaccines to Nigeria and 1.9 million to Niger. Nearly 13 million doses were stockpiled for 2009, but more are needed for this meningitis season which will run from January through June.
Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30327&Cr=health&Cr1=
27 March 2009 – A vast majority of the nearly 25,000 suspected meningitis cases and more than 15,000 deaths worldwide in the first three months of 2009 have occurred in the so-called “African meningitis belt,” hitting Nigeria and Niger the hardest, the United Nations health agency has reported.
The bulk of the cases in the meningitis belt, stretching from Senegal to Somalia, has been in northern Nigeria, reporting 17,462 suspected cases and 960 deaths, and Niger, with 4,513 suspected cases and 169 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Vaccination campaigns are underway in the two countries, with the support of WHO, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the non-governmental organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
WHO, which is supporting the Nigerian Health Ministry’s efforts to boost disease surveillance, has had technical experts on the ground since last month.
Along with its partners, WHO has released 2.3 million doses of vaccines to Nigeria and 1.9 million to Niger. Nearly 13 million doses were stockpiled for 2009, but more are needed for this meningitis season which will run from January through June.
Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30327&Cr=health&Cr1=
Monday, February 1, 2010
Over 600 Claimants for Pfizer Settlement Funds?
Although 200 patients participated in the Trovan trials in 1996 when 100 of them were placed on the gold standard drug and the other 100 were given Trovan, more than 600 people have already filled and submitted their application forms claiming to be ‘victims’ of the Trovan trials.
In a typically Nigerian scenario, queuing up in front of the headquarters of the Trust Fund set up to administer the funds has become a full time occupation for the claimants. It had been speculated for a long time that all sorts of claimants would be coming out of the woodwork as soon as there was indication that the Trovan cases would be settled out of court. Unfortunately, those who raised alarm at that time were demonized and called unprintable names by the so-called Trovan Victims’ Forum. Now that the worst fears of those who care about the image of Nigeria have materialized, the Board of Trustees is saddled with the unenviable task of sifting out the liars and crooks among the claimants. It is now clear to the whole nation why some of the more noisy self-appointed ‘stakeholders’ were campaigning against the use of DNA tests to determine the veracity of claims. At a stage, one of the grandmasters actually said the use of DNA was unislamic. He kept repeating that line until the Emir of Kano, a wise man who saw through the schemes and posturing, declared that the use of DNA and other parameters would help ensure that only the right beneficiaries accessed the funds.
Many analysts and close watchers of goings on in Kano since the announcement of the settlement are now wondering what would become of the new industry of ‘victimhood’ which developed around the settlement issue. There were allegations of people going round families and hiring their disabled members to come and pose as Pfizer victims. It will be interesting to see how many of those in the pictures distributed all over the media in the heat of the litigation eventually turn out to be genuine claimants. But for now it is clear that those who were hoping that money would just be handed over to anyone with any form of disability even where that individual was born disabled are living in a fool’s paradise.
One thing that none of the nay Sayers has been able to challenge is the integrity of the Board. It is generally conceded that the Board is made up of men and women of high integrity. It would be difficult for the crooks to blackmail the Board, but they are already giving blackmail a try, if feelers coming out of the grapevine are anything to go by. What the unscrupulous crowd thought was that once they demonize the Board and further cast aspersions on the integrity of Pfizer, fat cheques would be dropped on their laps like hot potato. They didn’t reckon that for once some people are going to insist on absolute transparency. Now their camp is in disarray. But nobody is fooled by the lull in their open campaign because reports indicate that they have gone underground to avoid a direct collision with the traditional authorities.
The important thing is that finally transparency is going to be the guiding principle of the entire exercise and all those who participated in the Trovan trials of 1996 will be compensated under the principle of more money for more verifiable health problem, that is a patient without any form of impairment will receive far less than one with verifiable disability. That sounds fair.
What is frightening is that some people could have it in their mind to take advantage of a tragic situation which resulted from a tragic epidemic to plot a diabolical scheme to make false claims and deprive the real patients their just due.
It is hoped that the Board will stay the course and not allow itself to be distracted by the plots and sub-plots of 419ers posing as ‘victims’.
Judging from the caliber of the men and women on that Board, one can rest assured that they will rise up to the challenge.
In a typically Nigerian scenario, queuing up in front of the headquarters of the Trust Fund set up to administer the funds has become a full time occupation for the claimants. It had been speculated for a long time that all sorts of claimants would be coming out of the woodwork as soon as there was indication that the Trovan cases would be settled out of court. Unfortunately, those who raised alarm at that time were demonized and called unprintable names by the so-called Trovan Victims’ Forum. Now that the worst fears of those who care about the image of Nigeria have materialized, the Board of Trustees is saddled with the unenviable task of sifting out the liars and crooks among the claimants. It is now clear to the whole nation why some of the more noisy self-appointed ‘stakeholders’ were campaigning against the use of DNA tests to determine the veracity of claims. At a stage, one of the grandmasters actually said the use of DNA was unislamic. He kept repeating that line until the Emir of Kano, a wise man who saw through the schemes and posturing, declared that the use of DNA and other parameters would help ensure that only the right beneficiaries accessed the funds.
Many analysts and close watchers of goings on in Kano since the announcement of the settlement are now wondering what would become of the new industry of ‘victimhood’ which developed around the settlement issue. There were allegations of people going round families and hiring their disabled members to come and pose as Pfizer victims. It will be interesting to see how many of those in the pictures distributed all over the media in the heat of the litigation eventually turn out to be genuine claimants. But for now it is clear that those who were hoping that money would just be handed over to anyone with any form of disability even where that individual was born disabled are living in a fool’s paradise.
One thing that none of the nay Sayers has been able to challenge is the integrity of the Board. It is generally conceded that the Board is made up of men and women of high integrity. It would be difficult for the crooks to blackmail the Board, but they are already giving blackmail a try, if feelers coming out of the grapevine are anything to go by. What the unscrupulous crowd thought was that once they demonize the Board and further cast aspersions on the integrity of Pfizer, fat cheques would be dropped on their laps like hot potato. They didn’t reckon that for once some people are going to insist on absolute transparency. Now their camp is in disarray. But nobody is fooled by the lull in their open campaign because reports indicate that they have gone underground to avoid a direct collision with the traditional authorities.
The important thing is that finally transparency is going to be the guiding principle of the entire exercise and all those who participated in the Trovan trials of 1996 will be compensated under the principle of more money for more verifiable health problem, that is a patient without any form of impairment will receive far less than one with verifiable disability. That sounds fair.
What is frightening is that some people could have it in their mind to take advantage of a tragic situation which resulted from a tragic epidemic to plot a diabolical scheme to make false claims and deprive the real patients their just due.
It is hoped that the Board will stay the course and not allow itself to be distracted by the plots and sub-plots of 419ers posing as ‘victims’.
Judging from the caliber of the men and women on that Board, one can rest assured that they will rise up to the challenge.
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