More teeth for fight against malaria as Publix Pharmaceutical launches Publitem

Publix Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited has joined the fight against malaria by introducing into the Nigeria market a top of the range, high quality World Health Organisation (WHO)-recommended ACT formulation 80/480 Publitem tablets and suspension.

The new product contains Artemether and Lumefantrin and is formulated in convenient dosing for adults and children. The tablet’s shape and size make it most suitable and patient-compliant while the flavoured suspension is a delight for children.

“With this introduction, Publix is set to take the battle against malaria further and collaborate with all stakeholders in the fight against this recalcitrant scourge,” said Akindele Davies, a director at Publix Pharmaceutical Nigeria Limited, who spoke at the product launch in Lagos.

Publix Pharmaceuticals is a young but very ambitious company that is not focused only on profit, but also seeks to contribute to the provision of affordable quality healthcare to Africans.

The company is concerned that Nigerians, especially children, are dying daily from the malaria scourge, quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO) which estimates that 3.3 billion people in 106 countries and territories globally are at risk of being afflicted with malaria.

“In 2015, there were 214 million cases of malaria worldwide. WHO also estimates that globally, there were 655,000 malaria deaths in 2010 with 91 per cent of the deaths occuring in the African region. Statistics shows on average, 71 per cent of the Nigerian population is at risk”, Davies said.

He described the figure as enormous and urged all well-meaning individuals and organisations to join hands to confront this menace that has continued to decimate the country’s population in terms of loss of lives and productive man hour.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Frank Owelle, chairman of the company, had disclosed that veering into pharmaceutical business was not driven by profit motive but to save lives and help humanity.

“We are doing what we are doing not because we have seen an opportunity to make money; that is far from the truth. I felt there is need for us to promote good health in the society”, recalling an experience he had as a student when “my school mate died just like that because of ignorance and lack of access to medicare”.

“From that day, I vowed that I must do something to save the health sector”, he said, disclosing that the company was perfecting plans to institute a programme that would give out anti-malaria solutions to people free of charge starting with three states—Anambra, Abuja and Lagos.

“People die of malaria every day and I will want everyone to fight against this scourge. Our aim is to achieve a malaria-free Nigeria by 2020”, he assured, calling on other people who are genuinely interested in ending this scourge not to wait for the government, but do their best.

Ahmed Yakassai, the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) commended the company for this bold initiative, lamenting that Nigeria was yet to achieve a malaria-free society. “Nigerians should join hands to kill malaria because it is not good for our country, especially our children”, he urged, pointing out that Publitem is a high quality product that is patient and pocket-friendly and therefore should be patronised, moreso as it is coming from a credible company already known for its stamp of quality in product offering.

TIAMIYU ADIO