Buhari Hails NIPRD For Developing Medicine For Sickle Cell Disorder

 

Buhari Hails NIPRD For Developing Medicine For Sickle Cell Disorder

The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) has developed a phytomedicine (NIPRISAN) for the treatment of sickle cell disease

This, President Muhammadu Buhari has described as a milestone, saying the development of the drug has not only provided a means of sickle cell management but has also aided medicine security and a boost of the country’s local Research and Development (R&D).

The president stated this yesterday at the occasion of his award in recognition, as NIPRD champion for the eradication of sickle cell disease, in Abuja.

Represented by the minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the president recalled that in previous years, people with sickle cell disorder were predisposed to numerous health complexities including the intricacies of a short life expectancy. He, however, stated that these shortcomings have been substantially minimised following the development of NIPRISAN.

The minister of state for health, Dr Adeleke Mamora, said significant progress had been made in the fight against sickle cell disorder following the development of a world class phytomedicine (NIPRISAN) from drug discovery up to phase two clinical trials by NIPRD.

“It is worthy to note that NIPRD is the first African Institute to achieve this giant stride, by developing NIPRISAN from local resources in the Country.

“The successful commercialisation of NIPRISAN by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has not only increased access to healthcare services for sickle cell anaemia but has also started stimulating the needed socioeconomic development. By this gesture, citizens now have unhindered access to the product irrespective of location, said Mamora.

In his welcome address, the director-general of NIPRD, Dr. Obi Adigwe, said the production of NIPRISAN was previously impeded by a number of commercial set-backs and an inadequacy of pharmaceutical capacity for drug formulation in the country.

However, he said in 2018, the challenges were resolved and NIPRD became partners with a local pharmaceutical manufacturing company to begin production and commercialisation of NIPRISAN with the name NICLOVIX.

“Indeed the federal government is aware and has recognised the laudable efforts by NIPRD in the research and development of phytomedicines. The President Buhari led administration recently contributed to the institute’s ground breaking work in the areas of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and machine learning. This has stimulated innovative programmes such as the Contextual Processing Protocols that seeks to harness the Nation’s phytomedicinal resources,” he said