The Republic of Madagascar has offered its herbal drug – COVID Organics (COV) – to Nigeria and other African countries.
The drug is for prevention and cure of Coronavirus.
Nigeria’s consignment has been sent to Equatorial Guinea from where it will be airlifted to Abuja.
For ease of transportation, African countries were divided into zones leading to the freighting of Nigeria’s consignments to Equatorial Guinea.
Nigeria’s COVID-19 positive tally moved to 4,399 last night with 248 new cases announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
There is pressure on the Federal Government by different medical and scientific organizations to allow the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to subject the drug to further analysis.
Some others are pushing for clinical trial of Covid Organics before being used in the country.
The Federal Government was yet to take a position as of weekend because the AU has mandated its Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to review the scientific data gathered so far on the safety and efficacy of the COVID Organics.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week insisted that the efficacy of the drug was unproven.
Also, as part of steps to contain COVID-19, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has started negotiating with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) on how to source volunteer doctors and health workers.
The health workers will help to assist ravaged states in the North-West and North-East especially, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe and Borno states.
The Chairman of NGF, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, is coordinating the talks with the two professional associations with juicy welfare package.
