The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC has said it would continue with Hydroxychloroquine trials in Nigeria despite a contrary directive by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The WHO has announced a temporary suspension of clinical trials for the Malaria drug on Monday citing safety concerns.
The global health body cited a report by the Lancet which claimed that Hydroxylchloroquine led to a higher mortality rate in Covid-19 patients.
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The Director General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye however countered the narrative of the WHO, stating that there was sufficient data that proves the efficiency of Hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19.
She subsequently announced that clinical trials for the drug will continue in Nigeria and may take three to four months before completion.
“There is data to prove that hydroxychloroquine worked for many COVID-19 patients. Therefore, we would continue our own clinical trials in Nigeria. Hydroxychloroquine has been proved to work at a mild stage. So the potency depends on the severity of the disease in the patient’s body,” she said.
“If medical doctors, research scientists, pharmacists, herbal experts work together, we should conclude the clinical trial in three to four months. The narrative might change afterwards but for now, we believe in hydroxychloroquine.”
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