The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, has given
reason why the Anti Ebola vaccine Zmapp may not be readily available to
Nigerians for now.
Entwistle told journalists after the meeting with Nigeria;s Health Minister in Abuja that ZMapp, a
US manufactured drug for Ebola treatment was not available in large
quantity.
He however commended the Federal Government for its efforts to contain
the spread of the disease but advised against placing too much
emphasis on the procurement of experimental drugs for the virus.
Nigerians, according to him, should support all directives by government
on personal hygiene and minimise physical contact with sick people.
The ambassador assured that Washington would continue to cooperate with
the Nigeria to contain the spread of the disease.
He said, “On the issue of experimental drugs, we’ll see down the road
what is possible. But there are not huge quantities now. And we think the focus
now needs to be on exactly what you (Nigerians) are doing, the isolation ward
and screening. It is especially important that now your government is doing a
very good job on contact tracing.
“I noticed that when I flew into this country on
Thursday night, before I left the plane, I filled out a questionnaire. I was
very impressed because I even had to put in my seat number which is a very good
idea.
“So, if you ever have to trace the guy sitting next to me, you know
where I am. So I have been impressed by these things and I encourage the
government of Nigeria to keep at it as I know they will.
“I always say we have a broad partnership between our two countries
which means we do things together as equals to make the world a better place. I
can’t think of a more important example today than our Ebola cooperation.”
Entwistle noted that both countries had been cooperating effectively on
the Ebola issue and would have to keep working hard on it.
He said, “It may last for a while but there are some encouraging signs.
The Emergency Operation Centre I understand is working well. The isolation ward
I understand is working well.
“As part of the broad partnership between our two countries, we have to
just keep collaborating and cooperating and keep working hard.”
Entwistle, said he was in the minister’s office to discuss the
anti-Ebola cooperation , adding that he was also in a room in Washington when
US Vice-President Biden and President Goodluck Jonathan talked about the Ebola
crisis.
He said both leaders “pledged total cooperation between your government
and my government on this issue.”
Chukwu also spoke on the meeting with the ambassador through a statement
by his Special Assistant on Media and Communication.
He said that other experimental drugs were currently being evaluated by
the Treatment Research Group for Ebola.
The minister explained that the drugs would be included in the treatment
regimen whenever they were cleared .
“As soon as any of the experimental drugs is cleared by the National
Health Research Ethics Committee and is made available, we shall include it in
the treatment regimen subject to the informed consent of the patient,” Chukwu
said.
He recalled that Nano Silver , which was made available to
the Federal Government last Thursday was not cleared by the National
Health Research Ethics Committee.
The minister said, “Although, the drug had since last Thursday been made
available to the Emergency Operations Centre in Lagos, it had not been
administered to any patient because we were awaiting clearance by the NHREC.
“I regret to inform you that the drug did not meet the requirements of
the National Health Research Ethics code. Accordingly, approval for its use was
withheld by the NHREC.”
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, told
journalists at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba also on Monday
, that the survivors had reunited with their families.
He said, “Out of the eight people in the isolation centre, one was
released on Sunday while four were released today(Monday), making it five people
that have so far survived the disease. Only three patients are now remaining at
the centre.
“So far, 12 people were confirmed infected with Ebola in Nigeria,
including the index case and three Nigerians that had died of the disease,
leaving eight people at the centre out of which five have been discharged.”
Idris explained that before any Ebola patient could be discharged,
he/she must have been symptom-free for three days and tested negative to the
disease in line with WHO standard.
He said the four patients discharged were symptom-free for three days
and had tested negative to the disease.
Idris ,who added that the discharged people would have to
undergo periodic checks at the centre, disclosed that
three new suspected Ebola cases had been recorded.
Two of the cases in Lagos, he said,
came into contact with Sawyer. The commissioner added that the
blood sample of the third person was brought from Kaduna as there
was no testing facility in the state.
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