•Debunks false claims on HIV prevalence, says only 0.6% of pregnant women living with virus
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Edo State government has warned residents against the sale and usage of Norvasc 5mg tablets produced by United States-based drug developer Viatris Inc, following the discovery of iron wires in samples taken from the shipment.
In a statement, the Edo State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria, said the warnings followed the alert by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Akoria said, “NAFDAC has issued an alert and warning that the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered the recall of six million tablets from two batches of Norvasc 5 mg tablets produced by U.S-based drug developer Viatris Inc, following the discovery of iron wires in samples taken from the shipment and claims from Taiwan Norvasc users that the tablets when cut into halves contain iron wire.
“The above information makes the two batches of Norvasc 5 mg tablets substandard.”
The Commissioner added, “All persons, pharmaceutical outlets and health facilities who may have any of these batches of Norvasc 5 mg tablets in stock should immediately dispose of them using the appropriate channels.
“Please be vigilant!!! Do not use this product. Please contact your doctor to discuss suitable alternatives. The State Ministry of Health can be contacted using the following numbers: 09016350001; 09114972470; 09116076093.”
Meanwhile, the state government has described as false and misleading comments by a purported doctor that 30 out of 50 pregnant women in Edo State are persons living with the Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV).
Akoria, in a statement, urged residents to disregard the false and deceptive claims, noting that only 0.6 percent of pregnant women were living with the virus in the state.
The statement read: “The attention of the Edo State Ministry of Health has been drawn to a video on social media in which a purported “doctor” stated that 30 out of 50 pregnant women in Edo State are persons living with HIV.
“This claim suggests that the prevalence of HIV in pregnant women in Edo State is an alarming 60%, which is completely untrue.
“According to the National AIDS Indicator Survey (NAIS), 2018 – the most recently updated survey on HIV in Nigeria, Edo State has an estimated 44,000 persons living with HIV: a prevalence rate of 1.8 per cent.”
Akoria further noted, “So far, in 2023 in Edo State, 10,019 pregnant women have been tested for the HIV virus, out of which 59 tested positive, giving a positivity rate of 0.6 per cent.
“The State Ministry of Health and its agencies actively work with partners to prevent and reduce transmission of HIV, provide treatment, and other required support for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVS).
“There are personal, social, cultural, and societal factors that underlie poor disclosure of HIV status. Individual, couple, and family counselling are in place at every level in our healthcare system to provide the necessary support for PLHIVS.”
She added, “We urge all residents in Edo State and other concerned persons to completely disregard unfounded claims made by persons of questionable credentials whose motives may not pass integrity tests.
“The State Ministry of Health will address the professional and regulatory concerns that the video has raised. Please contact us using the following phone numbers if further clarification is required: 09016350001; 09114972470; 09116076093.”
