THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, in its renewed efforts at combating and addressing the corona virus pandemic, has put in place some regulatory measures to ensure quality, safety and efficacy of diagnostic test kits to aid the detection of the virus in patients.
According to a press release by NAFDAC, which was necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, measures to ensure access to health commodities that have the potential to impact positively on public health outcomes have been put in place. One of such measures is the diagnostics necessary to support public health infrastructures and guide the management of the disease and to fight its outbreak.
The press statement reads: “The antibody test kits (IgG/IgM) can be used in the COVID-19 confirmed individuals, who can then be tested at designated centers using the antibody kits, to confirm that they have antibodies and as such may not be infected again. The antigen tests kits on the other hand, can detect the COVID-19 antigen in patients with or without symptoms. The results are only qualitative (positive or negative).”
The NAFDAC director-general signed press statement further revealed that no vaccine or drug has been found or confirmed okay to treat corona virus disease yet.
Prof Mojisola Adeyeye said: “Please note, no vaccines have been approved for any clinical trial. That may not happen before one year to eighteen months, after clinical trials must have been conducted in different countries. This will be followed by rigorous in-country assessment in line with laid down protocols to further ensure safety and efficacy.” Just few days ago, Christians celebrated Easter, which was devoid of the usual hustle and bustle, no thanks to the corona virus outbreak that forced a lock-down.
The last few weeks have seen the globe groaning in pain of losses and even grieving as death toll continues to rise against the backdrop of this ravaging virus. This period has totally changed the human nature that is characterized by physical interaction to a virtual one and has made us to think outside the box. The season deserves to be given what it demands; it punishes us if we fail. While this period lasts, we can draw up some lessons it has taught us. This pandemic has in its wake exposed our poor handling capacity to manage humanitarian or disaster crisis.
However, it would be fair to say that, Nigeria, despite her poor health facilities, has risen to the occasion by setting up facilities to curtail the spread of the pandemic, and for this, she deserves some commendation. Despite the announcement by Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, that it can carry out 1,500 tests daily we still haven’t seen that in play as testing capacity is yet to be stepped up.
The low casualty figures and high number of recoveries on COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria still remain cheering but call for review because it is largely due to under-testing with respect to the Nigerian population. This season has also revealed the greedy nature of some leaders who after acquiring and amassing wealth through tax payer monies could not ensure equitable distribution of relief packages being shared by some of them.
Nigeria, indeed the whole world, is hanging on hope in this battle for life as we look forward to an end to the darkness occasioned by COVID-19 sooner than we expect.
