ABUJA – Dr Osahon Enabulele, the Vice President, West African Region of the Commonwealth Medical Association, has called for collaboration among countries of the world for the development of vaccines for various diseases.
Enabulele, who is also the immediate past President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
He said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had concluded that the Ebola virus vaccine would be developed by 2015.
However, Enabulele said that the vaccine should not be limited to Ebola disease alone; it should be extended to cover other diseases.
“The WHO has given the hope of developing a vaccine in 2015, so I think it is for all countries of the world to come together to collaborate to ensure that this and other diseases like Lassa Fever and others ravaging our people. [eap_ad_1] “It should not be all about Ebola; it should be Ebola and others, so that we do not find ourselves in this kind of sorry situation anymore.”
He cautioned Nigerians on the use of any substance for Ebola prevention, saying that there was no scientific basis for the use of salt and water as a cure for Ebola.
“Of course, these are electrolytes that can have some adverse effects on humans, if used inappropriately.
“So far, there are some experimental drugs which have been used in the case of the two Americans aid workers.’’
The former NMA president said although reports had shown that the patients were showing signs of progress, it was not enough to confirm the reliability, validity and the quality of the experimental drugs.
“The drug is experimental and until a full-scale research is done, it is not enough to confirm the reliability, validity and the quality of the experimental drugs because it is being used on two people.
“We still need to do more human clinical trial and speedily too,” he said. (NAN)
[eap_ad_4]
