Novartis Pharma, a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland, has launched Galvus and Exforge HCT, medicines meant for the convenient control of diabetes.
While Exforge gives diabetic patients the required reduction in blood pressure, Galvus promotes an appropriate physiological response to daily changes in glucose levels.
A medical practitioner, Dr Ben Eghan, in a presentation, said currently Nigeria was leading in diabetic cases in Africa with three million cases, followed by South Africa (1.9 million cases), while Ethiopia had 1.4 million.
He expressed concern over rising diabetic cases in Ghana, a development which he attributed to an ageing population and unhealthy lifestyles.
The Head of Mass Markets for Novartis Pharma for sub-Saharan Africa, Dr Nadia elMasry, whose duty it is to oversee the marketing of Novartis products in the sub-region, said in an interview that the focus of the organisation was to satisfy the health needs of
customers.
She added that as its contribution to the fight against malaria, which is one of the biggest killers in Africa, Novartis had made available on the continent medicines for malaria treatment.
The Novartis Pharma Manager for Ghana, Mr Roland Hammond, told the Daily Graphic that the launch of the new products, which brought together medical practitioners, was to provide education on the medicines for doctors and other health officers.
He said his office was ready to partner the Diabetes Association of Ghana to sensitise the public to the new products.
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