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.
