The Federal Government has said that it has approved the
resumption of the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 drug trials
earlier suspended two weeks ago.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said this on Tuesday in
Abuja, at the 39th joint national briefing of the Presidential Task
Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
“A few weeks ago, I announced that Nigeria will participate in COVID-19
drug trial, which the WHO was leading but partly suspended. After
consultation with top Nigerian scientists of the Ministerial Expert
Advisory Committee, I am advised that Nigeria has something to add to
the body of knowledge around these trials.
“I have therefore approved continuation of the trial, as recommended,
under strong precautionary conditions to be built into it,” Ehanire
said.
According to him, the expanding laboratory and testing capacity all over
Nigeria and growing community transmission rate both contribute to the
increase in the number of COVID-19 positives we are observing in recent
days.
He said nevertheless, the nation has not reached the testing targets as
yet and therefore ask all persons who fit the case definition of fever,
cough sore throat, loss of sense of smell or taste to first use a mask
or face covering and find the nearest testing center.
He added that those testing positive should report to the nearest
treatment facility in the interest of self preservation and that this
shall be included in the social mobilization and community engagement
messaging.
The minister said, “We are working with the National Primary Healthcare
Development Agency (NPHCDA), to finalize plans on engagement of existing
community volunteers and agents to conduct house to house sensitization
on COVID-19 at community level, especially in high burden local
government areas of Nigeria, since about 20 LGAs contribute nearly 60
percent of our COVID-19 positive cases.”
Ehanire said Nigeria currently has a total of 10,578 confirmed COVID-19
cases in 35 states and FCT, of which 3,122 have been treated
successfully and released, while the nation has sadly recorded 299
deaths.
“The COVID-19 burden is, as we know not evenly distributed within the
country, with Kano and Lagos bearing the highest burden. A team from the
FMoH, led by the ED of NPHCDA and comprising doctors from Departments
of Family Health, Hospital Services and Public Health and NCDC, is in
Lagos on an appraisal visit, during which a situation analysis will be
conducted.
“The team will also visit the contiguous Ogun State on the same mission.
The visits are in continuation of similar useful initiatives in the
past to Kano, Katsina Sokoto, Jigawa, Gombe, and Borno, to share
experience and ideas, align strategy and support each other,” he said.
He said that the government will continue to advocate for states to
strengthen their response activities and have begun a program to
strengthen the capacity of all Federal Health Institutions in Nigeria to
deal with COVID-19 challenges in their states by additional training,
supplies and equipment.