Researchers who have cure for COVID-19 should approach NAFDAC ― Ekiti govt

The Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade has called on local researchers in the country who have developed a herbal cure for COVID-19 to approach the National Agency for Food, Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for the necessary test.

The commissioner who spoke during a press briefing in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Wednesday said that mere declaration of medicine or drug for the treatment of covid-19 patients would not be acceptable.

She said, ” Let me say it that scientific claims are not facts. We have seen a lot of people coming forward that they have a cure for the disease but as a physician, we can’t just adopt it for the patients.

“Our researchers should apply to NAFDAC for the normal process as regards the laboratory test on drugs and medicine. If not tried and confirmed by the authority, nobody will approve it.”

She revealed that to avert the community spread of the dreadful Covid -19 pandemic, the government would next week begin random testing for residents across the state.

She said the random testing, which will be done across the 16 local government areas of Ekiti state and which will be undertaken in view of the geometric increase in the number of Covid 19 victims, will not be done by coercion, but through sensitisation and volition.

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Yaya-Kolade revealed that the state would soon set up a molecular laboratory to boost the state’s testing capacity so that many people can know their statuses and be aware of their safety.

The Commissioner stated that the state presently has only five patients in the isolation centre, which she said are stable, responding to treatment and asymptomatic.

“We are still tracing some contacts and we are expecting our molecular laboratory soon just as we are still preaching prevention and containment through the usage of masks and keep to personal hygiene and social financing.

“We will begin random testing next week to stop community spread. The state is doing a lot of infection prevention training for our health workers to.make our people safe.

“We are also thinking about complying with the new NCDC regulation that you can discharge after the first negative if you are overburdened with patients. But we are going to be cautious in applying this,” she said.

Speaking further on the border porosity, the Director-General, Office of Strategic Transformation and Delivery, Professor Bolaji Aluko said the ban on inter-state travels becomes the best alternative because the scourge was brought into the state by outsiders.

Aluko said, ” Out of the five cases in the state now, two came from Katsina and Kano states which had made it imperative for us to secure our border and make us safe.

“We are getting calls that some people are coming from the North, but let our informants provide their details and address so that they can be easily traced for interrogation.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE