The World Health Organisation (WHO) welcomes innovations around the world, including repurposing drugs, traditional medicines and developing new therapies in the search for potential treatments for COVID-19.
The WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo said this in a statement posted on its website on Monday.
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.
The global health organisation said it recognises that traditional, complementary and alternative medicine had many benefits.
“Africa has a long history of traditional medicine and practitioners that play an important role in providing care to populations.
“Medicinal plants such as Artemisia annua are being considered as possible treatments for COVID-19 and should be tested for efficacy and adverse side effects.
“Africans deserve to use medicines tested to the same standard.
“Even if therapies are derived from traditional practice and natural, establishing their efficacy and safety through rigorous clinical trials is critical,’’ it stated.
According to WHO, African governments, through their Ministers of Health, have adopted a resolution.
“The resolution urges Member States to produce evidence on the safety, efficacy and quality of traditional medicine at the 50th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in 2000.
“Countries also agreed to undertake relevant research and require national medicines regulatory agencies to approve medicines in line with international standards, which include the product following a strict research protocol and undergoing tests and clinical trials.
“These studies normally involve hundreds of people under the monitoring of the national regulatory authorities and may take quite a few months in an expedited process.
“WHO is working with research institutions to select traditional medicine products that can be investigated for clinical efficacy and safety for COVID-19 treatment.’’
In addition, it said the organisation would continue to support countries as they explore the role of traditional health practitioners in prevention, control and early detection of the virus as well as case referral to health facilities.
“Over the past two decades, WHO has been working with countries to ensure safe and effective traditional medicine development in Africa by providing financial resources and technical support.
“WHO has supported clinical trials, leading 14 countries to issue marketing authorisation for 89 traditional medicine products that have met international and national requirements for registration.
“Of these, 43 have been included in national essential medicines lists.
“These products are now part of the arsenal to treat patients with a wide range of diseases including malaria, opportunistic infections related to HIV, diabetes, sickle cell and hypertension.
“Almost all countries in the WHO African region have national traditional medicine policies, following support from WHO.’’
WHO warns that as efforts are under way to find treatment for COVID-19, caution should be taken against misinformation, especially on social media, about the effectiveness of certain remedies.
“Many plants and substances are being proposed without the minimum requirements and evidence of quality, safety and efficacy.
“The use of products to treat COVID-19, which have not been robustly investigated can put people in danger, giving a false sense of security and distracting them from hand washing and physical distancing.
“WHO welcomes every opportunity to collaborate with countries and researchers to develop new therapies and encourages such collaboration for the development of effective and safe therapies for Africa and the world,’’ it added.
Meanwhile, Godfrey Okoye University, Thinkers Corner, Enugu has donated hand sanitisers to Enugu State Government as
its contribution to support the government in the fight against Corona virus pandemic.
Presenting the hand sanitisers to the Deputy Governor, Lolo Cecilia Ezeilo , the Vice Chancellor of the University, Rev Fr Prof Christians Anieke, represented by the Dean Faculty of Natural sciences and Environmental Studies, Associate Prof Marian Unachukwu, said that the hand sanitiser compounded and manufactured by the University is a unique product to effective prevent the spread of the corona virus.
Associate Professor Marian Unachukwu, in her remarks, stated that the product contains jesimia cola, (bitter kola) lemon grass and dongoyaro as its harbal ingredients with alcohol and other ingredients which destroys and kills bacteria.
She stated that the uniqueness of the product is in its effectiveness as it is effective for a longer period compared to other sanitiser.
Unachukwu noted that the University has a record of producing formulas to fight bacteria dated back to 2014 during Ebola outbreak and it is not relenting untill the war against Coronavirus is won
The Deputy Governor thanked the Vice Chancellor, not only for the donation but also for the economic contributions as the production will generate jobs and boost the economy of the state.
Similarly, a group known as “Friends of Enugu ” led by the General Manager , Enugu State Housing Corporation, Agu Chukwuemelu, said that the gesture was to assist Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in providing succour to the people of Enugu State to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that “the governor is not sleeping. You see him inspecting the borders. That is why we deemed it necessary to donate the palliative, 1,000 bags of 10Kg rice. It will go a long way to help the people “, he said.
Agu advised well-to-do people in the state to join hands and assist in donating to the indigent in the state. He also urged them to always observe the social distancing and personal hygiene measures, use their face masks to contain the disease.
Dignitaries at the reception include the Deputy Governor, Speaker, Enugu House of Assembly, Mr Edward Ubosi, and other top government functionaries.
