-Reaffirms commitment to manufacturing quality drugs.
As part of its corporate social responsibility and its quest to reduce the scourge of sickle cell disease (SCD) in Nigeria, Bond Chemical Industries Limited, a leading pharmaceutical company in the country, has donated packs of Oxyurea, the company’s brand of hydroxyurea for the management of SCD to the Federal Ministry of Health.
Presenting the items to the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire at the ministry's secretariat, Abuja recently, the Group Managing Director (GMD), Bond Chemical Industries Limited, Pharm. Aderemi Omotosho, who was represented by the National Marketing Manager, Mr Andrew Oladipo Aina, explained the gesture was part of the company's corporate social responsibility, adding that thousands of the country’s citizens are still under the burden of the deadly disease, due to lack of proper awareness, funds, and ignorance.
He said Oxyurea is their brand of hydroxyurea for the management of SCD, adding that aside from increasing the life expectancy of SCD patients, it also reduces the risk of anemia and blood transfusion in patients.
He added: “Oxyurea also reduces the frequency and intensity of bone crises, lowers the episode of acute chest syndrome, reduces the frequency of hospitalization, reduces the need for blood transfusion, reduces the risk of cerebral stroke, as well as improving the quality of life in SCD patients.”
Stressing on the need for active steps to combat the disease, Omotosho called for increased care for sickle cell carriers, saying the lack of proper sensitisation on the importance of genotype testing has led to what could have been prevented by the increasing numbers of children born with sickle cell disorder (SCD) in Nigeria.
Sickle cell disease causes the normal round and flexible blood cells to become stiff and sickle-shaped, stopping the blood cells, and the oxygen they carry from being able to move freely around the body and causing pain. This can cause episodes of severe pain. These painful episodes are referred to as sickle cell disease crisis.
Receiving the medicines, the Minister of Health, Dr Osage Ehanire, appreciated Bond for the good gesture, assuring them of their judicious distribution by the ministry.
While noting that comprehensive and holistic management from birth will go a long way in cutting down on the SCD crisis, he assured that the drug would be distributed across the sickle cell centres nationwide.
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