FG Okays Trial Drugs, Vaccine for Ebola, Places 271 Under Surveillance

Medical doctors attending to Ebola Virus patient in hospital

September 01, 2014 – The Federal Government has approved and applied for experimental drugs such as TKM-Ebola and indicated interest to participate in clinical trial of two Ebola vaccines adding that a third vaccine may be added to the list.

The Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu who made the observation at the Council of Health Meeting in Abuja, said the drugs produced in Japan were approved based on recommendation from the Treatment Research Group(TRG) in consultation with National Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC) and National Health Research Ethics Committee(NHREC), Nigeria.

“Following the TRG’s recommendation and in consultation with NAFDAC and NHREC, Nigeria has indicated interest to participate in the clinical trials for two candidate EVD vaccines and are considering a third that may be added to the list.

“We have also applied for experimental drugs such as TKM-Ebola”, he said adding that TRG has submitted a detain profile and brief on the oral antiviral agent which the Japanese Government has offered to make available to affected countries through the World Health Organisation(WHO).

“We are now considering this profile and brief to enable us reach a final decision on making it available to our patients. Our initial knowledge of the agent is that it has been shown to have strong antiviral activity against the influenza virus following phases I and II human trials, it is now going through phase III clinical trials; it is shown to have strong antiviral property against Ebola Virus in vitro and in vivo. These and the fact that it is considered safe, having passed through phases I and II clinical trials, makes it a good candidate drug for use in emergency situations as the EVD”, he said.

He said that of the 271 people are currently under surveillance in Lagos and Port Harcourt in a ratio of 199 in Lagos while 72 are in Port Harcourt.

He said nobody is under surveillance in Enugu presently and that there are no case of EVD in Enugu State.

“As of 31st August, 2014, 278 contacts in Lagos State had completed the 21 days surveillance and have been discharged from surveillance. While in Enugu, all the six identified contacts have completed the 21 day observation period and have been discharged from surveillance. No contact in Port Harcourt has completed the 21 day observation period”, he explained.

He said that all confirmed cases of EVD in Nigeria have their roots in the index case, Mr. Patrick Sawyer and that great vigilance is required particularly at the ports of entry to prevent EVD from other sources.

The minister explained that government has steadily been increasing the capacity to diagnose Ebola Virus Disease. According to him, EVD can be diagnosed at NCDC laboratory, Asokoro, Abuja; NCDC laboratory at LUTH, Lagos; NCDC laboratory at University College Hospital, Ibadan; Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Irrua, Edo State; Virology laboratory of Redeemers University, Ogun State and that the Irrua-based mobile laboratory has now been relocated from Enugu to Port Harcourt.

“Plans are at advanced stage to enable the following laboratories: NCDC laboratory at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano; NCDC laboratory at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt”, the minister said.