The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Thursday indicated that Nigeria was making headway in getting local cures for COVID-19.
The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, gave this indication at the task force press conference in Abuja.
According to the agenda of the meeting, issues such as COVID-19 and herbal medicines as well as NAFDAC food and chemical laboratory testing were discussed. The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, on Wednesday, said the local medicines in Nigeria had not been tested and could be poisonous.On Thursday, the task force Chairman, Mustapha, said the PTF would continue to support efforts to invent a local cure for coronavirus, adding that the ministry of health had started evaluating some claims.
“It is heartwarming to note that the Department of the TCAM has taken the pains to research into scientific materials to come up with a formulation intended for the management of cough in COVID-19 and other cough-related infections.”It said, “Interestingly, all the ingredients that make up the formulations are medicinal plants that are widely used as food materials and medicines.
“In view of the foregoing and the desire of the ministry to showcase to the public a product that is 100 per cent sourced locally, you are requested to carry out the necessary procedures for listing.”on Thursday, NAFDAC Director of Public Affairs, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, explained herbal drugs were listed after it had been confirmed that they were not toxic.
The meeting also had in attendance representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Investment as well as the Department of Traditional and Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the Ministry of Health. The Registrar in charge of Trademarks, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Safiu Adamu, also said there was a need to strengthen the trademark laws so as to promote investment.Meanwhile, the SGF, at the PTF briefing, called on state governments to beef up security at isolation centres to prevent escape of those placed under observations.
“We, however, urge all state governments to continue to pay attention to the welfare of people in isolation and for security agencies to provide adequate security around such facilities to prevent escape.” Mustapha frowned on increasing level of abuse of exemption granted to vehicles conveying specified goods, stating that many had continued to hide passengers with the intention of transporting them across state boundaries.The SGF warned security agencies against compromising the guidelines and interstate curfew, directing state Police Commissioners to step up monitoring teams.
The task force also issued new guidelines for small and medium enterprises to reopen while also tackling the coronavirus pandemic.The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, who spoke during the daily PTF briefing in Abuja on Thursday, stated that COVID-19 had had hugely impacted the economy of the country.
The decision to set up the committee was the outcome of a meeting between the two ministries on Thursday, where Ehanire, observed that coronavirus was ‘no longer a big man’s disease’, contrary to the alleged views of many Nigerians.
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