The
Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu says Nigeria has ordered for the
Ebola experimental drug from Japan to be tested on three Ebola patients
in Nigeria. He added
that 278 contacts under surveillance in Lagos have been released after
completing their 21 days observation and showed no trace of the
disease. According
to Chukwu, the Treatment Research Group (TRG) which he had informed
earlier, had been working hard to identify experimental drugs like
Zmapp, and also make recommendations to government on further research
on these drugs as well as vaccines for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
treatment and prevention.
"Following the
TRG’s recommendation and in consultation with NAFDAC and NHREC, Nigeria
has indicated interest to participate in the clinical trials for two
candidate EVD vaccines and are considering a third that may be added to
the list. We have also applied for experimental drugs such as TKM-Ebola.
"The TRG has
submitted a detailed profile and brief on the oral antiviral agent which
the Japanese government has offered to make available to affected
countries through the WHO. We are now considering this profile and brief
to enable us 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 I and II
human trials, it is now going through phase III 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 I and II clinical trials, makes it a good candidate drug
for use in emergency situations as the EVD," he explained.
Chukwu said government was taking a holistic approach to the containment of EVD in Nigeria.
He added that
as at 31st August, 2014, the number of contacts under surveillance in
Lagos stood at 72 while in Port Harcourt, the total number of contacts
under surveillance stood at 199.
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