The Federal Government has enrolled the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto states in the “solidarity trials”, an international clinical trial to help find a cure for the Covid-19 being spearheaded by the World Health Organization WHO.
The government also warned Covid-19 patients in its isolation and treatment centres against attacking doctors and other healthcare workers who are catering for their medical needs, describing such actions as inhuman, unacceptable and reprehensible.
This was as the government said it has conducted over 27, 000 tests so far, while about 600 Nigerians in diaspora have been evacuated and are now in isolation.
The federal government also confirmed that it has reached out to Madagascar for its “Covid Organic”, but said that the product would be subjected to scientific analysis to ascertain its genuineness and perhaps begin its local production.
The disclosure came on a day the National Human Rights Commission NHRC announced that it recieved a total of 104 complaints on rights violations from 27 States across the country.
Speaking at Monday’s briefing of the Presidential Taskforce PTF on Covid-19, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire listed the states that would be participating in the trials.
The solidarity trial which is an international clinical trial to help find an effective treatment for Covid-19, was launched by the WHO and partners. More than 100 countries have joined the solidarity trial and to date, over 1, 200 patients have been randomized from the first five countries to evaluate the safety and efficacy of full drug and drug combinations.
WHO had announced that Nigeria had recently indicated its readiness to join the trials.
Giving an update on the trials, the minister said; “Federal Government is cooperating with the WHO on treatment regimen Solidarity trial with the following states enrolled; Lagos, FCT, Ogun, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kano”.
