TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has hinted that the Federal Government has beginning to see a situation where the number of those treated for Covid-19 and discharged exceeds the number of positive cases detected.

While these figures may seem reassuring, they may be deceptive, and we cannot assume that the curve is flattening, since we are yet to perfect due diligence on our side, he added.

The Minister gave this hint on Monday at the Presidential Task Force briefing on Covid-19 , in Abuja, saying, testing has, for example, dropped quite significantly, due to reduced sample collection across many States, for reasons that are not clear in all cases.

According to him; “Lagos, for example, tested over 35 thousand in July and just under 20 thousand in August, while Kano dropped from 23 thousand in July to just under 4 thousand in August. These are just examples that show that there is more work to do and many more challenges ahead. I shall commission a study group of the Ministerial Experts Advisory Committee to begin processes to examine this development, to bring up new knowledge which can guide response or may have an implication on government decision making.

“With a total of 1,013 deaths recorded so far, the case fatality rate has also dropped slightly to 1.88%, the gradual fall is possibly an indication of improvement in response and treatment strategies to contain covid-19 and also a common global trend. As long as we still record deaths from this disease, there is no room for complacency until we meet our goal to reduce fatality rate to less than 1%.

“Our target is to test 2 million Nigerians for covid-19, of which we have achieved barely a quarter and to scale up to 4 million persons. For this, collaboration with State and FCT health sector structures is crucial. We urge all State organs not to relent in strengthening surveillance and setting up sample collection sites in all LGAs, and even in all wards of the hotspot LGAs”, he further stated.

Ehanire stated that, in the past 24 hours, we recorded just 138 COVID-19 positive cases in Nigeria, one of the lowest numbers in many months, giving a total of 53,865 positive cases out of 403,347 tests conducted as of August 31, 2020. In the same 24 hour period, 199 persons were discharged from hospital, giving us total successful treatment of 41,513 patients.

He added that, the logistics for sample retrieval and testing must be assured, as the Federal government makes provision for at least one laboratory in every State, with only Niger, Kebbi and Taraba now outstanding. Most of the laboratories are, however operating well below capacity. Plans have been concluded to set up and optimize laboratories in all states.

He also said that, as plans for Lagos and Abuja airports to reopen for commercial international flights become reality, we must raise our vigilance level. It is our collective interest and responsibility to guard against new cases entering our country undetected. In this regard, we must review our protocols to ensure early detection, isolation and treatment of any positive case. While this protocol may cause inconvenience, like delays at the airport, it is a small price to pay for our safely and health, especially for travellers. Our contribution as individuals is simple: to keep each other safe by wearing our masks and observing social measures.

The Minister, they strive to bring COVID-19 under control, we endeavour to keep our eyes on other diseases that contribute to mortality, especially of women and children in Nigeria. Malaria is one such example, for which we continue to strengthen routine services in our primary health care facilities.

He added that, this morning, we disseminated the report of 2018 Malaria Therapeutic Efficacy Studies (TES) for three artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT), which were tested in Enugu, Kano and Plateau States. These studies are conducted at interval, to detect drug resistance to malaria parasite, early enough to have treatment that works.

According to him, the findings from the study show the three ACTs to be efficacious against uncomplicated malaria, though there have been reports of malaria parasite resistance to Artemisinin in some Asian countries. No resistance was observed in studies done in Nigeria. It is wise to test all fever cases and be sure it is malaria, and to treat only confirmed cases with Artemisinin Combination Therapies (ACTs).

TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA

The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has revealed that, there is possibility that chloroquine could effectively treat Covid-19 at the early stage of infection.

She buttressed her point, saying, a research shown that chloroquine is effective for the treatment of COVID-19 at the early stage of infection.

While adding that, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had earlier hinted that the drugs may not be effective for the infection.

The NAFDAC boss gave this hint, during a virtual news conference in Abuja, saying, “In June, the FDA withdrew its approval for the emergency use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19.

She added that; “chloroquine can be used prophylactically and that countries like Ghana and Senegal have also embraced the clinical use of chloroquine for treatment.

“It is not only one drug that is effective for COVID-19 treatment but that it depends on the stage and the phases of the disease.

“On March 20, this year, I had a press briefing. At that time, people did not understand what clinical trial treatment meant. Once they hear treatment, they think you can use it anyhow. But clinical trial treatment is a research study to see whether the drug will work or not.

“In the press briefing, I said I was going through literature to see what others have done and I saw in a particular literature, a reliable publication of an article, about chloroquine and remdesivir.

Adeyeye continued; “They said in the cell culture, remdesivir and chloroquine killed COVID-19 viruses, that is, invitro – in the laboratory. But you cannot translate that to humans unless a clinical trial is done.

“I kept looking. About two weeks or so later in early March; there was a publication where 100 patients were treated with chloroquine across ten hospitals in six cities, including Wuhan. It said that all of them recovered from the symptoms. They called it that time pneumonia symptom.

“In the cells; in the lab, remdesivir and chloroquine killed COVID-19. We did not know that the disease has four stages that include pre-exposure, early-stage, severe stage and post-infection.

“At what stage would they be more effective? We didn’t know at that point. Now, we are realising that chloroquine is effective at the early stage”, she explained.

Adeyeye added that reports have also shown that remdesivir works at the last stage of the infection.

She, however, noted that the cost of treating a patient with chloroquine was cheaper than remdesivir.

NAFDAC boss added that, “Now we are talking of remdesivir. We met with Gilead , the maker of remdesivir about two months ago and they came. They said they have licensed their drug to five Indian companies and one Pakistani company,” she said.

She revealed that, “To treat an average patient will cost about $10 with chloroquine and cost about $2,500 with remdesivir.

TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA

Dr Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health has revealed that suspected COVID-19 emergencies can now be diagnosed on site.

According to him, this will drastically reduce Turn around and waiting Time, and allow better utilization of Observation rooms.

Ehanire gave this revelation at the Presidential Task Force briefing on Covid-19 on Thursday in Abuja, saying, we are continuing with plans to reduce case fatality rate to less than 1%, by optimizing response activities and cooperation with States according to the challenges they have.

While adding that, a new state molecular laboratory is currently being optimized in Kebbi and Bayelsa States, while a Gene Expert machine have been set up at National Hospital Abuja and the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada, as was announced some weeks ago.

This means that suspected COVID-19 emergencies can now be diagnosed on site, which will drastically reduce Turn around and waiting Time, and allow better utilization of Observation rooms.

He stated that, this is a major advancement in handling distress experienced by patients arriving as emergencies in these hospitals. The UATH has also found access to supplementary medical oxygen supply, courtesy of the generosity of the Nigeria Air Force, who has a good oxygen plant in Yola.

As at today, 27th August, 2020, we have recorded 53,021 COVID-19 positive cases out of 391,502 samples tested while 40,281 persons have been treated and discharged. Sadly, we have lost 1,010 persons to the virus with a case fatality rate of 1.9%

Ehanire added, they be deploying material and human resource assets from the polio eradication to surveillance and fighting other disease outbreaks, including the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

While adding that, they shall sustain our interest in developments around covid-19 around the world and seek opportunities to exchange ideas with countries and organizations investing in new knowledge.

He further added that, training and retraining on infection prevention and Control is ongoing in all our facilities as well as ensuring availability of PPEs as an investment to continue the reduction in health worker infections. He also called on health workers to ensure judicious and prudent use of these PPEs materials, while observing full IPC measures.

Finally, I wish to remind all of us that COVID-19 is still with us and will be for the foreseeable future, till there is a vaccine available for it. We are exploring all options and opportunities to ensure that when vaccines are available Nigerians will be among beneficiaries. This includes assisting NAFDAC to reach the International Maturity Level to assure products and processes, and encouraging our researchers to work towards the development of vaccine candidates.

With the imperative to reopen our economy, relax local and international air travel to support restoration of livelihoods, the experience in other countries is that covid infection rates have gone up, in some cases, dramatically. We must strive therefore, not to lose our attention to preserving lives or lose the gains we have made over the months. The onus lies not only with the Ministry of Health, but is a shared responsibility with the populace.

Our safest, easiest and cheapest option of achieving a balance remains adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures, as we have preached so many times. With these measures, we can balance or uphold our indices.

TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA

The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye has hinted that, the agency has taken the fight against importation of substandard and fake products to China and India.

She added that the agency had to remove two Clean  Report Inspection (CRI) Agents because they indulged in facilitating illicit drugs to Nigeria.

She made this known at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, while saying, the agency would no longer tolerate importation of substandard goods anymore.

According to NAFDAC boss, “Last year, I was in India and China to examine some of their laboratories where goods meant for importation to Nigeria are tested.

“In these countries, they have Clean  Report Inspection (CRI) Agents who certify these products before they are shipped to Nigeria. We had to remove two of the CRI Agents because we found them culpable in allowing substandard drugs to come to Nigeria. We told them in China and India that we don’t want substandard goods in Nigeria anymore”.

“For seven years when the agency was not at the ports, importers of fake and substandard drugs were having a field day bringing in dangerous products into the country. Our children were going wacko due to drug abuse that was almost becoming a normal thing in this country.

She continued; “In May of 2018, our officials returned to the ports and gave importers of these illicit drugs a run for their money. Many containers of Tramadol were impounded by NAFDAC and destroyed. To destroy a container of Tramadol cost between one million to two million naira.

“Importers of these illicit drugs, when it dawned on them that we are back at the ports, started diverting some of these shipments to neighbouring countries in the West African sub-region. We went after them in these countries and still seized their shipments.

“As I speak, five containers of Tramadol meant for the Nigerian market are in the Benin Republic. The Nigerian Ambassador over there is currently making efforts to bring those consignments here for destruction. The NAFDAC Directorate at the port is up and running”, she said.

TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA

In an effort to find safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines , countries in Africa are signing up to a ground-breaking initiative, which aims to secure at least 220 million doses of the vaccine for the continent, once licensed and approved.

Thus noble initiative was made known in a press statement made available to journalists in Abuja by World Health Organisation (WHO) Nigeria stated that, all 54 countries on the continent have expressed interest in COVAX, a global initiative which is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The partners are working with governments and manufacturers to procure enough vaccine doses to protect the most vulnerable populations on the continent. Through the Gavi-coordinated COVAX Facility, the initiative seeks to ensure access for all: both higher and middle-income countries which will self-finance their own participation, and lower-middle income and low-income countries which will have their participation supported by the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC).

There are eight countries in Africa that have agreed to self-finance their vaccine doses through the COVAX Facility. This expression of interest will turn into binding commitments to join the initiative by 18 September, with upfront payments to follow no later than 9 October 2020.

The Vice Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Equatorial Guinea, Mitoha Ondo’O Ayekaba said, “Equatorial Guinea has signed up to COVAX as it’s the most effective way to ensure that our people can access COVID-19 vaccines”.

“We are concerned as some wealthier countries have made moves to secure their own interests. We believe that through this initiative we can access successfully tested vaccines in a timely manner and at lower cost.”

In addition, 46 countries in Africa are eligible for support from the financing instrument, the COVAX AMC which has raised approximately US$ 700 million against an initial target of securing US$ 2 billion seed funding from high-income donor countries, as well as private sector and philanthropists by the end of 2020.

Also, the WHO Regional Director for Africa , Dr Matshidiso Moeti said “COVAX is a ground-breaking global initiative which will include African countries and ensure they are not left at the back of the queue for COVID-19 vaccines” .

“By reaching beyond the continent to work together with other governments and manufacturers on a global scale and pooling buying power, countries can protect the people most vulnerable to the disease in Africa.”

CEPI is leading COVAX vaccine research and aims to develop up to three safe and effective vaccines which will be made available to countries participating in the COVAX Facility. Nine candidate vaccines are currently being supported by CEPI; two are currently being tested in South Africa, in addition to other regions around the world.  

Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer, CEPI , Dr Richard Hatchett stated that, “It’s critical that countries in Africa participate in vaccine trials, in addition to the clinical trials taking place in other regions of the world,” “Testing vaccines on the continent ensures that sufficient data is generated on the safety and efficacy of the most promising vaccine candidates for the African population so they can be confidently rolled out in Africa once vaccines are approved. CEPI is investing in the research and development of a diverse range of vaccine candidates, with the aim of delivering safe and effective vaccines to those who need them most through COVAX.”

Through COVAX, vaccines that have passed regulatory approval or WHO prequalification will be delivered equally to all participating countries, proportional to their populations. Health workers and other vulnerable populations will be prioritized and then vaccine availability will expand to cover additional priority populations in participating countries.

African countries will need to have in place the right systems and infrastructure to define the regulatory and ethical pathways for a quick approval of a candidate vaccine. They will need to have logistics and supply chain systems which can reach not only the traditional target populations for routine immunizations and campaigns but be ready to vaccinate a much larger target population.

Programme Area Manager, Immunization and Vaccine Development, Programme Area Manager, Immunization and Vaccine Development, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Richard Mihigo added that, “To roll out a vaccine effectively across countries in Africa, it is critical that communities are engaged and understand the need for vaccination” .

“It is important to already start working with communities to prepare the way for one of the largest vaccination campaigns Africa has ever experienced.”