FG to evaluates drug claims by local researchers, forwards to NAFDAC for Listing

By OMEIZA AJAYI, Abuja

The Federal Government said it has continued to evaluate claims by local researchers to the effect that they had manufactured curative drugs for Covid-19, explaining that having met preliminary requirements, the drugs have been forwarded to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC for ‘Listing’.

This came as government again expressed worries over the continued repatriation of Almajiris by states, saying the development could fuel a spike in infections.

This was disclosed Thursday in Abuja during the daily briefing of the Presidential Taskforce PTF on Covid-19

On compliance with general safety protocols put in place against the Covid-19, the federal government asked security agencies not to cut corners, adding that they would only be tarnishing the image of their organisation by doing that.

It urged Nigerians to alert the government whenever they witness cases of infractions by security operatives enforcing the partial lockdown.

Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha, said local cure claims have now been forwarded to NAFDAC for listing, having met with preliminary requirements.

He said; “For some time now, there have been claims of inventions and cures related to COVID-19. The PTF, as part of its mandate, remains supportive of and receptive to outcomes of research. It, however, finds it imperative to reiterate its position on the need for such discoveries to undergo the scientific validation processes. The PTF is aware that the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Department, of the Federal Ministry of Health, has been evaluating such claims and forwarded some that have met the preliminary requirements to the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control NAFDAC to carry out the necessary procedures for listing”.

Also, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said his ministry had just finished a meeting with the Ministry of Science and Technology, “at which their Agencies demonstrated impressive innovative capabilities to participate in finding solutions to our problems of shortages”. “We are convinced that Nigeria has the potential to manufacture many of the commodities we presently import, which presently high global demand also make difficult to come by”, he added.

The ministry had earlier written to NAFDAC on the “formulation of a phytomedicine based cough mixture/syrup” for the management of Covid-19.

In the letter, the ministry noted that Nigeria is blessed with medicinal plants which could be exploited and expressed happiness that its Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Department TCAM has taken the pains to research into scientific materials to come up with a formulation intended for the management of cough in COVID-19 and other cough related infections. (Vanguard)