The Chief Medical Director of the Lagos College Educating Hospital, Prof. Lanre Adeyemo, says three out of each Nigerian pregnant girl are anemic, which is the medical time period for blood deficiency.
Adeyemo stated on Thursday in Lagos through the IVON medical trial that anemia in pregnant ladies will increase the danger of maternal and neonatal deaths.
The CMD stated: “Anemia throughout being pregnant is widespread in African nations. Globally, anemia is the most typical medical situation in pregnant ladies, and in Africa it impacts roughly 50 % of all pregnant ladies. In Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, about three in 5 pregnant ladies are anemic. The situation, which is normally attributable to iron deficiency, is related to an elevated threat of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.
“It’s acknowledged as a serious international well being downside with an indicator devoted to monitoring efforts to cut back anemia in ladies aged 15 to 49, together with pregnant ladies. Due to this fact, the IVON medical trial is a crucial milestone within the international effort to cut back morbidity and mortality, and the contributions of the IVON analysis crew can’t be overstated.”
Adeyemo stated the end result of the IVON medical trial “will remodel medical obstetric apply in Nigeria and different creating nations of the world, finally bettering well being outcomes for moms and kids and selling medical industrialization.”
He stated the continued efforts would mark a vital turning level in worldwide efforts to cut back morbidity and mortality amongst moms and kids.
He stated: “The Federal Ministry of Well being and Social Affairs has developed a four-point agenda beneath my management. The primary imaginative and prescient behind the ministry's four-point agenda is that of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. The agenda I; bettering the standard of hospital governance and management, the regulatory capability of businesses beneath the Ministry, selling medical industrialization and bettering healthcare supply/funding in public well being.”
“Seventy % of the nation's pharmaceutical merchandise, together with the medicine used within the IVON course of, are imported from nations much like Nigeria, whereas Nigeria doesn’t even produce its vaccines. This narrative should change,” he added.
Additionally talking on the occasion, the Director of Heart Scientific Trials, Prof. Bosede Afolabi, stated latest analysis had proven that intravenous iron was higher than oral iron for treating anemia in pregnant ladies.
“We discovered that intravenous iron is protected and efficient in comparison with oral iron. We're nonetheless publishing, so we received't give away all our outcomes. We’re ready for the article to be printed, however we discovered that it was efficient in lowering iron deficiency anemia in ladies and pregnant ladies. Throughout being pregnant, greater than 90 % of prescribers normally use solely oral iron to deal with anemia. For now, the price of the medicine is $40,000, however the drug remains to be in India.
“What we're attempting to point out is that one dose intravenously is an efficient, protected and efficient various for girls who might not be capable of tolerate oral iron. We’re within the strategy of publishing. We’ve submitted the publication for this trial of our findings to a really respected journal, and we’re ready to listen to from them as soon as it’s printed, after which we’ll go to city and distribute it,” Afolabi stated.
