At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. (Learn more). We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development, and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time.
Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments, and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 170 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us.
From our West Africa headquarters located in Lagos, Nigeria, since the 1950s, we have been delivering life-changing breakthroughs to the people of Nigeria. Guided by our three pillars of innovation, investing and safeguarding, we are focused on serving the communities in which we live and work, broadening access to medicines and strengthening healthcare delivery for the people who need it most.
Living our values of courage, excellence, equity and joy, we are a diverse team of about 67 people working daily to provide all West Africans with access to global scientific innovation that can help them to live longer, better lives. Through our commitment to the national agenda, we are contributing to the development of a strong healthcare system, as well as growth of the knowledge economy in the interest of those who need to be empowered today and to the benefit of the generations to come.
Improving Access Through Innovation
We use technology and science to innovate and discover breakthroughs
To close the patient affordability gap and increase patient access to much needed oncology treatments, we partnered with the American Cancer Society and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) on a groundbreaking market access agreement for access to cancer treatment. The aim is to reduce the price of 16 priority and quality-assured medicines by almost 50 percent in six countries in Africa. Since the launch of the programme in 2019, several patients have accessed life-saving chemotherapy treatment.
In tackling the challenges of healthcare financing and access, we have Project Taksit, a novel payment program (in partnership with mPHARMA) that enables patients to pay via instalments. Project Taksit is providing patients with immediate access to their medication while enabling them to pay over 30 days with majority of the enrollees being patients paying out of pocket and insured patients whose plan is not covering the full length of hospital stay.
Pfizer also launched Project Afya, a patient assistance programme aimed at improving access to life-saving medications and boosting cancer care and autoimmune disease management. Project Afya is tackling the two treatment areas namely oncology (specifically breast cancer) and rheumatoid arthritis in low income urban and rural areas.
We use innovations to improve access to life-saving medications. In West Africa, many urban and rural communities do not have reliable infrastructure and cannot receive biological materials. To address this challenge, we have invested $2 million in Ghana to implement drone distribution programs for essential medicines in partnership with Zipline and the Ministry of Health. The revolutionary new service uses drones to make on-demand, emergency deliveries of 148 different vaccines, blood products, and life-saving medications. This is set to impact 12 million people across the country
Safeguarding Health And Well-being
We are committed to protecting the health of people in Nigeria and championing preventative care. As such, we have provided 15,900 people across Nigeria with free cardiovascular medical screenings. We also regularly offer blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol readings in pharmacies, religious organizations, corporate establishments, and healthcare institutions.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, sickle cell disease (SCD) affects more than 75% of the population. In 2017, in partnership with Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and Sick Kids Foundation, we started SCD screening for 4,000 babies, as well as providing ongoing education and treatment for those that identified as positive. In addition, we collaborate with Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN) to mark World Sickle Cell Day by hosting an annual lecture on the disease.
To tackle the issue of counterfeit medication, we work in partnership with health officials, customs and police to deter, detect and dismantle counterfeiting operations. We conducted a market survey to assess the ratio between legitimate Nigerian Pfizer medicines and counterfeit medicines. Results from this survey will support relevant authorities to clamp down on counterfeits and illicit trading in Nigeria.
In Ghana, 1 child in every 50 is born with sickle cell disease (SCD) and half of those affected will die before the age of five without early detection and intervention. In 2017, in partnership with Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and Sick Kids Foundation, we started SCD screening for babies, as well as providing ongoing education and treatment for those that identified as positive. We aim to have 11,000 babies screened by the end of the second phase, which is currently running.
To tackle the issue of counterfeit medication, we work in partnership with American Business Council to address how counterfeiting affects the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria, it's impact on the Nigerian society, Pfizer's success in dealing with the menace, and the partnership between the private sector, government and regulators towards handling the problem and growing the sector. In Ghana, we work with health officials, customs and police to deter, detect and dismantle counterfeiting operations. In Ghana, we recently created the ‘Pfizer Customs Handbook’ for the Ghana Customs Authorities to facilitate the detection of suspected flow of importation of Pfizer medicines.
Investing In Diversity
Diversity makes us stronger. In support of societal transformation, we have committed ourselves to a journey of diversity and inclusion. We continually invest in our people and strive to ensure that our workforce is representative of the demographics of societies in which we operate. With our primary goal being making our workplace as diverse as the patients and communities we serve making it a part of our DNA. We always strive to make sure everyone is heard and every view is respected without fear of intimidation.
Investing In Healthcare Innovations
Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness, but it can be prevented with effective antibiotic treatment. To ensure greater patient access to this life-changing medication, we have donated over 56 million doses of our antibiotic in Nigeria, in partnership with the International Trachoma Initiative over the last ten years. To ensure greater patient access to this life-changing medication, we have donated 5 million doses of our antibiotic to Ghana in partnership with the International Trachoma Initiative.
We invest in continuous and cutting-edge medical education to empower HCPs. This includes live broadcasts to cities in Nigeria and Ghana with top experts in cardiovascular, pediatrics, surgery, urology and infection management. Since 2016, we have reached over 6,000 general practitioners, pharmacists and healthcare assistants.
To improve patient awareness and understanding of critical disease areas impacting Nigeria, including cardiovascular disease, infection and pain, we developed a retail visibility initiative in pharmacies. Through this initiative, six retail chains with 150 outlets, as well as 750 independent pharmacies in Nigeria and Ghana were reached.
Investing In Anti-microbial Stewardship
Microbial resistance has been identified as one the biggest threats to public health. Investing in anti-microbial resistance is key to establishing a sustainable healthcare system. In response to this global threat, Pfizer has invested in ATLAS, a global data surveillance app that physicians around the world can use to look up regional patterns of resistance to antibiotics. Understanding these patterns of resistance enables doctors to stay abreast of trends in antibiotic resistance as they emerge and ensures that we are better equipped to protect future generations from AMR threats.
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Our Values and Behaviours of Courage, Excellence, Equity and Joy are a declaration of our core beliefs and the defining features of a culture that drives achievement. They reflect the enduring character of Pfizer and its people.
“Culture is the most important thing we can get right.” – Albert Bourla, Pfizer Global Chairperson and CEO
At Pfizer, our purpose is to bring breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. But breakthroughs are not only scientific; they are also logistical, technological and operational so we can deliver our breakthrough medicines and vaccines into more patients’ hands across the world even faster and to deliver on these breakthroughs requires a breakthrough mindset. It is for this reason that Pfizer has identified courage, excellence, equity and joy as its core values that will enable our purpose-driven growth strategy. Informed by these values our diverse team works daily to provide all Nigerians with access to global scientific innovation that can help them to live longer, better lives
Breakthroughs start by challenging convention...especially in the face of uncertainty or adversity.
This happens when we think big, speak up and are decisive.
Every person deserves to be seen, heard and cared for.
This happens when we are inclusive, act with integrity, and reduce healthcare disparities.
We can only change patients' lives when we perform at our best together.
This happens when we focus on what matters agree who does what, and measure outcomes
We give ourselves to our work, and it also gives to us.
We find joy when we take pride, recognize one another, and have fun.
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Pfizer’s purpose is to develop breakthroughs that change people’s lives. In the face of COVID-19, this call is more urgent than ever, and we have aimed to leave no stone unturned as we have harnessed the full breadth and depth of our resources to address this crisis.
During COVID-19 Pfizer’s actions have been guided by three priorities:
Safety
First, ensuring the safety and well-being of our colleagues;
Supply
Second, ensuring the continued supply of our medicines and vaccines to patients who need them across the world
Research & Development
Third, continuing our commitment to collaborate and play our part in discovering breakthrough therapies and vaccines to put an end to this pandemic.
In response to the pandemic, globally Pfizer has created a SWAT team of our leading virologists, biologists, chemists, clinicians, epidemiologists, vaccine experts, pharmaceutical scientists and other key experts to focus solely on the discovery of an effective vaccine and/or a treatment to put an end to this pandemic.
Pfizer is committed to bringing this candidate vaccine to help meet the global public health need on an equitable basis. We are working closely with international initiatives, governments, and other stakeholders, as appropriate, to supply the world as quickly as we can, together. Alongside leading biopharmaceutical companies who are also conducting vaccine research and development, we’ve announced a historic pledge that outlines a united commitment to uphold the integrity of the scientific process as we work towards developing a potential vaccine for COVID-19 that puts patient safety and public health as top priorities.
With the global collaboration and unprecedented commitment to ending this pandemic we are confident that #sciencewillwin..
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