Nigerian govt hints on use of herbs, homegrown drugs for COVID-19 treatment

The Nigerian Government has hinted on using herbs and other homegrown drugs for COVID-19 treatment in the country.

The Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora gave the hint on Friday when he spoke at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja.

According to the minister, the ministry of health has plans to meet with scientists, researchers, and traditional medicine specialists in the country, who have registered that they have one drug or the other for the treatment of the virus, soon.

He meanwhile, said there were pharmaceutical procedures and standards that must be observed before any herbal or homegrown drug would be recommended for coronavirus treatment.

Part of the procedures, he said, was that National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had to test such drugs to ascertain whether they are fit for human consumption or not.

“We are still on it. We are still collecting interests and research findings from those who have said they have herbal drugs for the treatment of coronavirus.

“A lot has been said on herbs and some other concoction prepared for the treatment of the disease but we can’t start administering it on patients as there are laid-down guidelines on the testing and approval of drugs before they are dispensed to patients.

“The first step is that NAFDAC must check the effectiveness of the drugs and examine if they are fit for human consumption.

“After NAFDAC certifies the drugs as okay for consumption, we will then hand it over to doctors and clinicians. But even before it gets to this stage, there must be volunteers for clinical trials. We have to test it on volunteers who will put it in writing that they accept to use it.

“After the clinical trials, we will observe these volunteers for reduced symptoms. We will record this and also examine the side effect of the drugs. We must observe all these processes, so it is not a quick one. We will hold a meeting with the people who have said they have one drug or the other for the treatment of COVID-19,” he said.

Speaking also at the briefing, the Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha said:

“There is no single cure to COVID-19 that I know of from all the literatures.

“Everybody is trying his hands on one thing or the other, even bigger economies with established medical infrastructure. Today it is Hydroxychloroquine, tomorrow it is another thing. And after a while, you hear those treatment prescribed being discredited.

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“We are looking at all the options and suggestions. We are looking at what is happening in Senegal, Madagascar and we are also looking internally and urging our scientists and researchers to come up with solutions and go through revalidation processes, who knows, a cure can emerge from our country.

“We will continue to push the agenda for a local solution but if help comes from outside, we will receive it.”

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