Coronavirus: Expectations raised over Drug Readiness
abujareporter
Posted On April 1, 2020
Maurice Iwu, a Nigerian Pharmacognosy professor at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) has raised the expectation of a drug’s readiness to combat the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
Iwu, Chairman of the Imo State Task Force on COVID-19, proposed to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who is now being tested in the United States, a plant-based patented COVID-19 drug.
While briefing newsmen shortly after the donation of COVID-19 preventive material to the state government by Seplat Petroleum and Waltersmith Oil Ltd in Owerri, Prof. Iwu disclosed that there is a good sign that it will be ready early.
“The work on the drug we are developing is still going on. We are encouraged by the result we are getting. We are getting very positive signs.”
“Luckily the drug is a safe one. It is drug already in use. We are repurposing it for this particular purpose. So when we finished the studying and testing we are doing, I think the drug will come up in line very very soon.”
Most importantly, he added “if the pandemic escalates, the NAFDAC will know what to do, like they did in USA to fast track the use of chloroquine.
“If we have a need NAFDAC will know what to do. Right now the product is in human use, what we are doing is to repurpose it for this particular event, ” he stated.
Iwu said the state government was doing everything humanly possible to prevent the virus from gaining hold in the state, according to The Report.
Iwu, a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is reportedly involved in a court battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegedly N1.23 billion.
pm
news
