Hope rises on Coronavirus drug

The hope of readiness of a drug to combat deadly coronavirus pandemic is rising greatly.

A Nigerian professor of Pharmacognosy from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) who is the Chairman of the Imo State Taskforce on COVID-19, Maurice Iwu had presented a plant-based patented treatment for COVID-19 to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu which is now been tested in the United States.

While briefing newsmen in Owerri shortly after Seplat Petroleum and Waltersmith Oil Ltd donated COVID-19 preventive material to the state government, Prof. Iwu disclosed that there is a positive sign that it would soon be ready.

“The work on the drug we are developing is still going on. We are encouraged by the result we are getting. We are getting very positive signs.”

“Luckily the drug is a safe one. It is drug already in use. We are repurposing it for this particular purpose. So, when we finished the studying and testing, we are doing, I think the drug will come up in line very soon.”

“Most importantly, if the pandemic escalates, the NAFDAC will know what to do, like they did in USA to fast track the use of chloroquine.

“If we have a need, NAFDAC will know what to do. Right now, the product is in human use, what we are doing is to repurpose it for this particular event,” he stated.

Iwu said the state government was doing everything humanly possible to prevent the virus from getting hold in the state.

A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Iwu is currently embroiled in a court battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged N1.23 billion fraud.