Nigeria to begin COVID-19 drug trial in 13 states – PTF
The federal government has stated that Nigeria will commence COVID-19 drug trial in 13 states soon.
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, made this known during a press briefing on Thursday, August 20.
Aliyu said the drug trials would soon start in 22 sites scattered across 13 states of the federation.
Aliyu added that the 22 sites cutting across 13 states of the federation had been approved for the exercise.
He did not name the states but explained that all necessary regulatory approvals had already been secured for the trials.
READ ALSO: FG To Extend Foreigners’ Travel Documents Over COVID-19 Lockdown
He noted that the appropriate agencies for the realisation of the COVID-19 drug trial are all involved.
He mentioned that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and other tertiary institutions “have been actively involved in pursuing research in accordance with their mandates of establishment as soon the COVID-19 pandemic was declared by the World Health Organisation.”
He stated, “As you are aware, Nigeria has registered for the WHO solidarity trials which are a multi-country trial where the standard of care in the country is compared against some investigational drugs such as Remdesivir, Interferon-Beta and monoclonal antibody.
“This is in a bid to get the best drugs to cure COVID-19. So far, 22 sites from 13 states have been registered for the trial, and the necessary regulatory approvals from NAFDAC and the National Health Research Ethics Committee has been secured. The trial will soon commence.”
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said Nigeria had so far tested 366,244 persons.
He said among those who tested positive, male preponderance remained high, with more infections in the age group below 50 years, but more fatalities in the higher age brackets and among the vulnerable.
Daily Times reports that the PTF Chairman, Boss Mustapha, disclosed that 14 out of the 985 COVID-19 deaths so far recorded in the country were medical doctors.
