News: Africa
» 2009
July 20, 2010
Nigeria: Trovan Case - New Victims Sue Pfizer for U.S.$384 Billion
Abuja — Victims of the 1996 Pfizer meningitis trovan vaccine test which caused over 200 deaths and several others permanent disability have again sued the drugs manufacturing giant for a whopping sum of $384 billion. The victims, numbering 192, who have just surfaced, are claiming the colossal sum as damages from Pfizer Incorporated and Pfizer Specialities for the injuries they were made to suffer by the negative effect of the untested vaccines administered on them.
Read article at allafrica.com
May 14, 2010
SA 'dumps GM maize around Africa'
Johannesburg - South Africa has dumped genetically modified (GM) maize on African markets, the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) alleged on Friday. "In the last four months, South Africa has dumped almost 300 000 metric tons of GM maize on to Kenya, Mozambique and Swaziland," it said in a statement. This was revealed in its study, "Good neighbour? South Africa forcing GM maize onto African markets and policy makers", ACB said.
Read article at news24.com (South Africa)
Comment: To download the African Centre for Biosafety study, click here.
March 9, 2010
80,000 Children May Die of Vitamin A Deficiency
No fewer than 80,000 Nigerian children are prone to die annually from Vitamin A deficiency related ailments if concerted efforts are not made to control and prevent the deficiency amongst growing children in the country. Country Director of Helen Keller International, HKI, Dr. Omo Ohiokpehai, who said this in Makurdi during an advocacy visit on the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services noted that the World Health Organisation, WHO, had identified Nigeria as one of the Category One countries with the highest risk of Vitamin A deficiency in the world.
Read article at allafrica.com
Comment: Only around $300 million would be needed to eliminate vitamin A deficiency in the developing world. Vitamin A is essential for immune system function and can be provided by micronutrient supplementation or the enrichment of food. The cost of this project would represent a small fraction of the world pharma market – which in 2008 was worth $773 billion. Much of this money was made by selling ineffective drugs to poor nations whose people are suffering mostly from malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies. As such, the fact that the pharma industry does not act to eliminate vitamin A deficiency in the developing world tells us all we need to know about its motives.
January 25, 2010
Pfizer Compensates Trovan Victims With N26 Million Each
Pfizer has agreed to pay N26 million to each family of the victims of its Trovan vaccine trials in Kano in 2006, provided there is proof of death or permanent incapacitation. About 200 people took part in the trials which resulted in the death of some patients and the permanent incapacitation of others. The Meningitis Trust Fund (MTF), a body set up to pay the compensation on behalf of Pfizer, said it has received over 600 applications from those who claimed they participated in the tests and want to be compensated.
Read article at allafrica.com
January 5, 2010
Zambians fume over failed AIDS trial
A Zambian traditional leader has fumed over reports that a number of his female subjects who underwent a microbicide gel clinical trials have contracted HIV, the virus that cause AIDS. Close to a quarter of volunteers that took part in a microbicide gel clinical trials in Southern Zambia contracted HIV, 12 months after the commencement of the trial. Zambian authorities have remained mute over the development while officials from the Microbicide Development Programme in Zambia and United Kingdom have pains to explain what went wrong during the clinical trials. Chief Mwanachingwala who presides over the affected site in Mazabuka of southern Zambia has expressed regret at the leaked results of the trials. The traditional leader has claimed that the Microbicide Development Programme enrolled illiterate and uneducated women who did not understand the nature of the clinical trials and its consequences.
Read article at africanews.com