The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), has concluded plans to present the final report of the evaluation of the Madagascar drug to the government this week.
The Director-General of NIPRD, Dr. Obi Adigwe, disclosed this while making a presentation at an investigative hearing on research to find lasting solution for COVID-19 organised by the House of Representatives Committee on COVID-19.
He further revealed that Nigeria has some active ingredients of the Madagascar COVID-19 drug- Covid Organic.
According to Adigwe: “We have also put together a validation method for people who come with traditional medicine claiming that they have activities against COVID-19.
“It will please you to know that we have put together a national expert validation committee; we were able to use the validation method to put to test the Madagascar Covid organic and has put forward a preliminary report indicating that Covid Organic include some active ingredients that are found here in Nigeria.
“Next week, we will be presenting the full report, including the Pharmacology and toxicology report to the minister. The ministry has granted approval for the agency to put together an Artemisia annual combination therapy which can potentially address COVID-19. That project will start once the grant is released,” Adigwe said.
According to him, NIPRD has put together about 20 high valued research and development projects as well as a hybrid of hand sanitizers from locally sourced materials with internationally validated methodology.
“We shared the formula with colleagues around Nigeria. This action was why you did not see the kind of empty shelves that you saw across the world in Nigeria. That action was to ensure the commodity was available to disrupt the spread of the virus.
“We also put together a drug we called Niprimol which is strong imuno mutilated activity and all the clinical trial of the product has been completed. It is showing very great promise.
“We are collaborating with different colleagues and the next phase of the product, which is clinical study, is going to take place in conjunction with two tertiary hospitals.
“We have also put together a randomized control trial of some conventional medicines and have put in place an internationally accepted clinical trial protocol which we have presented to the Ministry and we are now looking forward to starting the trial,” he explained.
Poor funding and disregard for the place of research both in health and in all facet of life in the country, Dr. Adigwe said are hampering the growth of the Institute.
