Nigerian Newsday

President Olusegun Obasanjo has launched the long awaited drug for the management of sickle cell disease, known as NICOSAN. The drug was the product of a collaborative effort between the Federal Government and ZXECHEM Nigeria limited.

Launching the drug at the SHEDA Science and Technology Complex in Abuja last week, President Obasanjo described it as a major medical breakthrough for Nigeria, adding that the drug will ameliorate the sufferings of millions of sickle cell patients worldwide.

He congratulated the Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Turner Isoun, and his health counterpart, Professor Eyitayo Lambo for working tirelessly to ensure the successful production of the drug.

Sickle cell anaemia is genetically inherited disorder afflicting millions of Afro-Asian people worldwide. Experts say that 40% of all sickle cell disease (SCD) sufferers are Nigerians.

President Obasanjo announced that the drug has been granted an "Orphan drug" status by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in order to make it affordable for sufferers of the disease. This implied that the drug will not be subjected to taxes or other charges anywhere in the world.

About nine years ago, the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research (NIPRD) discovered that a recipe used by late Pa Ogunyale, a traditional medical practitioner for the management of sickle cell disease was very effective and therefore decided to do more research to determine its level of efficiency.

In 2002, XEXHEM Nigeria Limited was given the right to produce and market NIPRISAN, a product of NIPRD research into Pa Ogunyale's recipe.

President Obasanjo also announced at the launching that an agreement has been reached to pay 3% royalty from the proceeds of the sale of the product to the family of the late Pa Ogunyale in order to encourage other traditional herbal practitioners to work harder.