By Seriki Adinoyi
Plateau State Research Committee on COVID -19 and other infectious diseases recently inaugurated by Governor Simon Lalong has said that it had found 13 plants in the state that had shown possible antiviral activities against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS COV 2).
The committee was recently given the mandate to search for the treatment and cure for the Coronavirus, and to design treatment protocol for the disease caused by the virus.
Addressing newsmen in Jos yesterday, the Lead Researcher, Professor Noel Wannang, a pharmacologist said that “within the past one month, the committee had a total of 14 physical meetings, and over 20 virtual meetings, aside from the subgroup interaction and interventions which often times lasted all through the day and night.
“We acknowledge that COVID-19 is ravaging our society, and knowing well the situation of the pandemic, we immediately demonstrated willingness and provided time and other resources into this all important assignment to curtail this deadly virus.” While noting that 13 plants in the state have shown possible activities against SARS COVID 2, he stressed that 10 of the plants had been selected based on pharmacokinetic parameters of their phytochemical constituents, and formulated into three cocktails (COV- Pla 1, COV-Pla 2, and COV Pla 3), adding that “the results may provide an important breakthrough in the field of herbal medicine.”
He said, “I am happy to inform the public that drug treatment trials on COVID-19 patients will commence soon. The outcome of the trail will be made public and shall be published, in line with best international practices.”
He added that as part of its attempts to find lasting solution to infectious disease, the committee had initiated strategies to collaborate with other partners to bring succor to the state in terms of improvement of health facilities.
Wannang also said that the committee had identified preventive strategies for the Covid-19 and other infectious disease on the Plateau. He also cautioned on the potential dangers of misinformation from the social media, which he said had unfortunately taken the center state.
The committee has also developed protocol for the management of Covid 19 patients using conventional medicines.
He said that the repurposed drugs cover for asymptomatic carriers, mild/moderate disease patients, elderly patients, patients with cardiovascular morbidities, patients presenting with severe disease, patients in shock, and patients in critically severe disease conditions.
Wannag further said that, for fear of self-medication and drug misuse, the protocols will be submitted to the necessary authorities for immediate implementation.
