Chukwu said following the Treatment Research Group (TRG)’s recommendation and in consultation with the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC), Nigeria had indicated interest to participate in the clinical trials for two candidate EVD vaccines and were considering a third that may be added to the list. “We have also applied for experimental drugs such as TKM-Ebola,” he said.
Chukwu said the TRG had submitted a detailed profile and brief on the oral antiviral agent, which the Japanese government had offered to make available to affected countries through the WHO.
He explained: “We are now considering this profile and brief to enable us to reach a final decision on making it available to our patients. Our initial knowledge of the agent is that it has been shown to have strong antiviral activity against the influenza virus. Following phases one and two human trials, it is now going through phase three clinical trials. It is shown to have strong antiviral property against Ebola Virus in vitro and in vivo. These and the fact that it is considered safe, having passed through phases one and two clinical trials, makes it a good candidate drug for use in emergency situations as the EVD.”
The Lagos State government confirmed progress in the effort to contain the deadly disease.
Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday said a total of eight patients had so far been cleared as Ebola-free and discharged to go home while only two were still in the isolation centre undergoing treatment.
The governor, however, said that a number of suspected cases, with contacts traceable to the index case Sawyer were still under surveillance and closely monitored by the state health officials.
Receiving a consignment of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other treatment accessories at the State House, courtesy of the Mobile Telecommunication Network Foundation (MTNF), Fashola said it was obvious that all the cases were traceable to Sawyer and therefore underscored the need for improved border control and hygiene nationwide.
He said: “What is most important now is managing our borders. We still have a lot of people going out and coming in. A lot of work needs to be done there. We must not drop the ball any more. Also of concern is what we do locally in terms of hygienic practices.”
He said that while Lagos residents could now heave a sigh of relief from panic earlier created by the disease, there were some socio-cultural practices that may have to change for public health reasons.
He gave an example: “How we treat dead bodies is very key. Some things must change; we cannot continue to bury people in the back of our homes. This is a time for cultural evaluation of ourselves because our cultural choices do have health consequences. This is the time for a rethink.
“I recall that when we passed the Cremation Law a couple of years ago, there was a lot of uproar. People were saying we wanted to start burning dead bodies, but we had to reassure people that it is a matter of choice. That facility has become very useful now to the benefit of hindsight. We must rethink how we live in order to prolong our collective lifespan.”
Fielding questions from reporters, Fashola hinted that the state last week received N200 million from the Federal Government in support of the effort to contain the disease.
Apparently grateful to the MTNF for their consistent support in the area of education and health, Fashola reflected that the main challenge in the containment effort was not lack of funds but of requisite medical specialties.
He said: “While we understand and fully appreciate the humanitarian concerns that have propelled this effort, the real problem is the sufficiency of experienced virologists and Ebola specialists in managing this.
“When the sub-region, as it where, is challenged on many fronts, that capacity phased out. That really is the problem. This time it is not a money problem, nor really equipment problem. It is a human capacity problem.”
But according to Fashola, there would be no need to panic because the disease is not a death sentence, as a lot of knowledge is being gained on a daily basis.
