Skip to main content

Pfizer Victims and the monkey story

March 8, 2010
Image removed.In 1996, a meningitis epidemic broke out in Kano, leaving thousands dead, and thousands more permanently disabled. The infectious Diseases hospital, where the aid organization- medicines Sans Frontiers (msf) (Doctors without Borders) was providing free emergency treatment became a “Mecca” of sorts. Thousands of affected children were taken there for treatment. At the hospital, doctors of msf dispensed approved antibiotics to combat the often deadly meningitis. Doctors at Pfizer too thought they had an antibiotic that could probably save the lives of some of those children.
Incidentally, Pfizer selected patients from the same hospital for trials, treating them with a new and untried antibiotic called Trovan. Before then the drug had not yet undergone clinical trials with children. Five children died after being treated with the experimental antibiotic and others contracted arthritis, although there is no conclusive evidence that the drug played a part, since six children died while taking comparison drug. However, Trovan was later associated with reports of liver damage and deaths, leading the Federal Drug Agency in the United States to severely restrict its use. Also, the European regulators banned it. These and several other details are derived from my forthcoming book on Human Rights.

The attention of this columnist was drawn to a detailed story published in The Guardian of Sunday March 7th 2010 whereby the Pfizer victims in Kano threatened to head to Court over the delay in settlement of their claims from the huge chunk of United States dollars set aside by the United states based pharmaceutical company as condition precedent for reaching an out–of-court settlement with the Kano state government and the victims of the 1996 illegal drug test by Pfizer.
articleadslinks
The Guardian reported thus; “There are indications that victims of the 1996 Trovan drug test conducted at the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) in Kano may return to court to seek justice over the non-payment of monies they are supposed to be paid as compensation.”

“About II persons died while 200 persons are believed to have suffered various physical deformities during the trials sponsored by the multinational drug giant, Pfizer International.”   

“An out-of-court settlement between Pfizer and the Kano State government stipulates that Pfizer would make available $75 million to be utilized as follows: $30 million for the construction of a hospital within the Kano metropolis, $35 million for the payment of compensation to victims of the Trovan drug test and $10 million to offset the cost of litigation incurred by the Kano State government.

“Five months after the deal was struck, the victims under the aegis of the Trovan Victims Forum have accused Pfizer of creating unnecessary delay and diversionary tactics to deny them of their dues.”

“Reacting, chairman of the board of the Meningitis Trust Fund, Justice Abdullahi Bashir Wali, justified the resolve of members of his board to insist on a DNA test saying it was premeditated by the fact that about a thousand claimants showed up to be compensated.”     

“Noting that about 200 claimants who are billed to participate in the DNA test to be conducted by an American pharmaceutical firm, Bodde, in a month’s time have been identified, he urged claimants to be patient in view of the fact that the DNA exercise is a strenuous one, he assured that by the end of May, results of the outcome of the test, which would serve as a basis of compensation, must have been turned in for the consideration of his board members.”

“Justice Wali disclosed that not a single kobo of the aforementioned amount has been transmitted to members of his board of trustees since it was inaugurated in the last quarter of 2009.

“Wali, however, acknowledged that about $4.5 million has been released to members of his board for the purchase of secretariat building, furniture, cars and other basic accessories required to achieve the desired objectives”.

“The amount, he said, was released from the $30 million set aside by Pfizer for the construction of the specialist hospital. He said the amount was duly released by Prof. Shehu Galadanci-led hospital project trust fund, as against the notion that it was withdrawn from the $35 million set aside to compensate victims of the Trovan test”. Is this not misapplication of funds?
 
Why is the secretariat and the purchasing of exotic cars for members of the board of the meningitis Trust fund more important than paying the actual compensation to the victims and survivors of the illegal 1996 drug trials in Kano by Pfizer?.

This reminds me of the ‘monkey dey work baboon dey chop’ story that I was told as a kid. A story of two friends namely monkey and baboon that went to a farm and saw a beautiful banana tree with delectable looking banana fruits. Since baboon chose not to climb, monkey immediately climbed and started throwing the banana to his friend who in turn rather than keep the fruits in safe custody ate them up as soon as he received them from his friend up there in the tree.

To avoid a situation whereby the victims of that 1996 illegal drug test by Pfizer in  Kano are cheated out of their deserved compensation, May I beg the Kano state government to plead with the meningitis Trust fund to stop further delay and pay these victims their entitlements before it is too late. These victims of the Pfizer illegal drug test should not be subjected to undue technical delay while the so-called meningitis board members are going about in air conditioned exotic cars purchased from the huge financial resources meant for the victims.

Is it that the meningitis board members can not approach the Kano state government to allocate an office space and donate some cars to them for their job which is supposed to be a temporary assignment that they had to blow away a whooping $4.5 million USD to purchase cars and a well furnished secretariat?

On the issue of DNA test, who were the Pfizer victims that appeared in Court before the out-of-court deal was struck, where they DNA tested?      

When will officials treat the downtrodden with respect? The same funny stories being dished out to these Pfizer victims and their circumstances are replicated in virtually all aspects of Nigeria’s official dealings with the poor, retirees or the aged especially when it comes to the issue of paying them their entitlements?

This reprehensible and vicious circle of treating the poor, oppressed and aged with disdain by Nigerian officials must stop.


*    Onwubiko heads Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria.   

articleadsbanner


googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });