Sam Ndionyenma is the managing director and chief executive officer of Ritleon Nigeria Limited. He is experienced in New Business Development and route-to-market setup from scratch. He is also in marketing management and Customer Service. In this interview with ANTHONIA OBOKOH, Ndionyenma speaks about access to medical service delivery in Nigeria and the role of food supplements as sustenance of good health Excerpts:
How will you assess Nigeria medical service Delivery?
Medical services delivery in Nigeria is in a very poor state. In spite of over 20 years of democracy, healthcare delivery service is still marred by inadequacy or lack of infrastructure, dearth of qualified medical personnel and the availability of drugs at affordable prices.
People in rural Nigeria travel many kilometers to access primary health care, and upon arrival, they often meet dilapidated facilities with inappropriately trained medical personnel and no drugs. In the urban areas, most government hospitals are not well equipped and diagnostic services are often inadequate, leading to wrong treatment and premature deaths.
I think governments have made some efforts at various levels but according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, the average life expectancy in Nigeria is still one of the lowest in Africa, it is around 54.5 years, with men living an average of 54.years and women living an average of 55 years.
Fake drugs are reported to be prevalent especially in the rural and the absence of specialised medical personnel in some hospitals complicates the situation even in urban Nigeria.
Today, total expenditure on healthcare in Nigeria is estimated at about 4.6 percent of Gross domestic product (GDP) and less than 6 percent of federal annual budget is provided for health care.
Another phenomenon I have observed over time is the mass exodus of our doctors to countries that offer greater economic opportunities, leading to huge increase in medical tourism by Nigerians.
Access to full medical insurance is possible only to less than 5 percent of the population as estimated by analysts and government policies have not strongly addressed this. These are my views and my overall impression.
Who is Ritleon and what services do you offer?
Ritleon Nigeria Limited is a company with vast interest in manufacturing, marketing and distribution of Pharmaceutical products, equipment and reagents.
Ritleon is into partnership with Harmony Health Company Limited, Agent of Synergy Worldwide, makers of the award winning ProArgi 9+. It has a good stake in hospitality, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods or Consumer Packaged Goods (FMCG) consulting.
We have a team of seasoned professionals in marketing, and business management engaged with the responsibility of driving the vision of our company. Our major area of strength is in developing businesses from scratch with a fit to size business model and in turning them to enviable brands. We also assist companies in setting up appropriate route-to-market for their brands.
What was the concept behind the establishment of Ritleon in Nigeria?
The inadequacy of healthcare support in Nigeria prompted Ritleon to engage in this area of endeavour. It is not just a business opportunity but a need-based opportunity. Ritleon Nigeria Ltd. was invited to be part of the global marketing and distribution initiative to provide healthcare delivery and to help people promote quality well-being across the country.
The International Partnership initiative is essentially looking to promote brands and drugs supplements in addressing certain health related issues to improve well-being of people.
Ritleon Nigeria Ltd. has leveraged the unique value proposition to catalyse the emergence of a platform that enables innovative health solutions to reach the last mile and achieve scale in Nigeria, creating the foundation for long-term sustainability of health and healthy practices especially with supplements. We changed the orientation from network marketing to direct sales of these supplements.
You mentioned that your organisation partners with global players and distributes food supplements. Which one in particular do you distribute and how does it contribute to good health in Nigeria?
First, we are partnering in Nigeria with the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF) to promote heart health awareness in Nigeria as heart diseases are one of the leading killer diseases globally according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2018 report.
In Nigeria, stroke is said to be a very big killer and over 150,000 Nigerians are said to die annually as a result with millions said to be suffering from high blood pressure, high Cholesterol, diabetes and erectile dysfunction. The supplement we provide could help in these situations and these health challenges are interrelated.
One of our products is ProArgi 9+. Ritleon Nigeria Limited is partnering with Harmony Health and Synergy Worldwide to provide Proargi-9+ to Nigerians. The product is a Nobel Prize winning brand, registered by the National Agency for foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and it is natural. Professor Louis Ignarro and his two associate Doctors won the Nobel Prize Award in medicine based on their discovery of Nitric Oxide as a signaling molecule. The research identified nitric oxide as a precursor to life. In his book, NO MORE HEART DISEASE, the Professor indicated that L- Arginine at the level contained in ProArgi 9+ made with L’ Citruiline can provide nitric oxide that can last well enough in the body and could prevent or even reverse a number of life threatening situations.
ProArgi 9+ is Known as the world’s highest quality l-arginine supplement – [Desk Reference (2014), pg. 2571], Arginine is many times more powerful than any naturally occurring antioxidant in the body. L-arginine`s antioxidant properties support various body system and may protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes, as well as slowing premature ageing. One of the many benefits of ProArgi-9+ is its ability to enhance blood flow to vital organs, thereby enhancing heart health, facilitates regeneration of cells, improves immune system, and promotes healthy sexual function over time.
What do you think is the role of food supplements in the sustenance of good health?
In my view, food supplements do not replace our prescriptive drugs but they play major role in sustenance of good health and prevention of degeneration of poor health conditions. Sometimes, they help to reverse some very bad medical conditions.
These food supplements provide nutrients that our body needs which you may not ordinarily have in some of the foods or diets we take daily. A lack of some of these nutrients or vitamins can cause severe health challenges with complications and abnormal ageing. They support our overall well-being especially because they are made of natural fruits and herbs which may not easily be grown in our country and which nutrients are usually easily deficient in our body as we grow and age.
Analysts and pharmacologists confirm that they have fewer side effects because they are natural and are provided in controlled dosage. Many have been able to fight early ageing and prevent the occurrence of some critical health challenges using food supplements.
However, in situations when symptoms have manifested or persisted, it is always advised that you consult your doctor to provide further help and medical advice. Doctors generally advise that use of drugs or the use of food supplements should not replace routine physical exercises and healthy lifestyle.
