From Moses Emorinken, Abuja
The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday announced the next phase in its Solidarity Trial, which will test three new drugs for their potential in reducing the risk of death in enrolled and hospitalised COVID-19 patients.
The drugs are: artesunate, imatinib and infliximab. They were donated for the trial by their manufacturers.
The drugs are already in use for other treatments. Artesunate is used for severe malaria, imatinib for certain cancers, and infliximab for diseases of the immune system such as Crohn’s Disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
The WHO stated that the Solidarity PLUS trial for promising drugs, which is an unprecedented global collaboration for COVID-19 Research and Development (R&D), will roll out in 52 countries.
Read Also: Nigeria not a testing ground for Moderna vaccine – FG
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “Finding more effective and accessible therapeutics for COVID-19 patients remains a critical need, and WHO is proud to lead this global effort.
“I would like to thank the participating governments, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, clinicians and patients, who have come together to do this in true global solidarity.”
Also yesterday, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the insinuation in certain quarters that Nigeria is going cap in hand seeking donations for COVID-19 vaccines is incorrect.
The minister made the clarification during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja
According to him, Nigeria is expecting large number in batches of doses of COVID-19 vaccine brands in few weeks, which are being paid for.
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