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Why we haven’t started chloroquine clinical trial, states explain

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The Ogun State Government said it had not applied for the chloroquine clinical trial because it had no case that warranted it.

Responding to an enquiry by one of our correspondents on Friday, the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Public Communications, Remmy Hazzan, said,

“The reason is that for now, we don’t have any case that would warrant the use or administration of chloroquine. One of our cases is even on the verge of being discharged from the hospital.”

In Osun State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamotu, said the state would apply for the clinical trial if the NCDC approved it.

He told one of our correspondents that not everyone in isolation would need treatment, adding that those at the isolation centre in Ejigbo were doing well and were in good state.

He added,

“If it has been approved for the treatment of COVID-19 by the NCDC, why not? We will apply.”

In Benue State, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Sunday Ongbabo, on Friday said there was no need for such at the moment since the index case in the state had been transferred to Abuja.

Ongbabo, who is the secretary, State Action Committee on COVID-19, explained that even though NAFDAC had come out to declare that only Lagos State had shown interest in the clinical trial, Benue could only show similar interest if the NCDC made it mandatory for the state.

“Our state has not applied to NAFDAC and I don’t know when we will until we get directives from the NCDC,” he added.

In Akwa Ibom State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, said the state would go by the rules set by NAFDAC on the issue.

“I go by the rules of NAFDAC,” he added.

In Ekiti State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, said the state did not have to apply for the clinical trial since it was not interested in going into its production.

“When you are doing investigational drugs, most of the time, it is the drug companies that will request,” she added.

“From what we are getting from everywhere in the world, this is an investigational drug and it is ongoing already. I’m a pharmacist, so investigational drug is requested by companies that make drugs.

“There are a lot of international papers which I have had the opportunity to read; they are papers supporting the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19. If papers support it and it is effective as a drug, the fact that a state is requesting does not mean Ekiti State has to request. All of us don’t have to request for it.”

Efforts to get the response of the Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Patrick Okundia, on why the state has not shown interest proved abortive.

When contacted earlier in the day, he asked one of our correspondents to call back in an hour because he was in a meeting. When his number was dialed again, he didn’t answer the call, neither did he respond to the text message sent to him.

But, in Bauchi State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Aliyu Maigoro, told one of our correspondents he would give a response to the enquiry on Saturday.

“I don’t like answering that kind of question on the phone. Tomorrow (Saturday) there will be (press briefing), when you come, I will answer that.”

Also, in Kaduna State, efforts to get the Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Mohammed-Baloni, proved abortive. A phone call and text message by one of our correspondents to the commissioner were not responded to as of press time.

In Rivers State, the Commissioner for Health and Chairman of the State COVID-19 Response Team, Princewill Chike, said the state had its own protocol and regime on the treatment of coronavirus.

“Our protocol and regime have nothing to do with hydro-chloroquine. We know our regime; it is not something I say on air for obvious reasons,” he said.

Saturday PUNCH.

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