Against the backdrop of perceived irregularities in the compensation of victims of the celebrated Pfizer Trojan drug test in Kano, a health Non Governmental Organisation, NGO, Men Sana has called for transparency and fairness in the settlement process of the victims.
The call was made by the coordinator of the group, Hajia Halima Ibrahim in a statement issued in Abuja at the weekend, a copy of which was made available to Sunday Trust.
The group which claimed to have been following the case from the beginning and had at various times sued for a "quick out of court settlement" maintained that there are plans to infiltrate the list of Trovan participants with fake names of cripples who never participated in the entire exercise. According to the statement, "we are aware that a fake list of Trovan participants has been in circulation in Kano. We say this because included in the list were names of people who were born cripple but were being passed off as trovan victims".
The statement, therefore, counseled the Kano state government to ensure that the Pfizer compensation money gets to only verified victims. Because evidence shows that each of the victims' families would end up as millionaires by virtue of the compensation.
It could be recalled that following the legal tussle between the Kano state government and Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company has been mandated to pay the sum of $75 million to the Trovan victims in different categories.
The statement reads in part, "we therefore support a transparent process in which monies would be applied to the purposes for which they are meant."
In the same vein, the group also advised the government to begin preparation in earnest against epidemics like meningitis, noting that this year alone, the epidemic claimed no fewer than 1,000 victims. According to the group, "meningitis is a real killer."
Ibrahim, however, expressed optimism that the Kano state governor is smart enough to put greedy middle men at bay, noting that "that is the only way the government can deserve the people's credit.
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I earnestly want to commend our dear Governor, Alh. Ibrahim Shakarau for identifying with the plight of the people, his benevolence towards the Trovan patients and the entire people of Kano State since inception into office, I also want to urge the governor to use his good offices in ensuring that greedy middle men do not have anything to do with the collection and the disbursement of monies meant for the Trovan patients and the rehabilitation of the Infectious Disease Hospital. Absolute transparency and fairness should be adhered to, as this is the only way to ensure funds are not diverted into other use.