By Kemo Cham
Sierra Leone is among seven African countries that will participate in the first phase of a study on a treatment option for Covid-19 on the continent, Politico learnt last week.
Sierra Leone, Liberia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Morocco will administer the coronavirus antibody tests as part of the study that seeks to understand the extent of the outbreak on the continent.
The study is being done by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in collaboration with other partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to reports, antibody tests have been administered before in other regions including the United States and parts of Europe as countries sought to better understand the virus behind the ongoing pandemic that began in China late last year and has since spread across the globe.
The African CDC is the specialized disease prevention agency of the African Union. It has been heavily involved in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, coordinating a collaborative continental response effort by providing technical support for AU member countries.
Figures from the agency show that the Africa, as of Friday August 14, had recorded 1,096,951 cases, along with 25,096 deaths.
South Africa remains to be the worst-hit country in the region, with 568,919 cases and 11,010 deaths.
Other countries seriously hit by the pandemic are Egypt (95,963), Nigeria (47,743) and Ghana (41,725).
Even though it still hasn’t recorded as much cases as was expected, Africa’s response to the pandemic has been hindered by lack of capacity, especially laboratory capacity. This is one area the Africa CDC has been helping its member countries.
It had set up a target of 10 million test. But by the end of last week, the continent had conducted only 9.4 million tests so far.
Dr John Nkengasong, head of the Africa CDC, was however quoted saying that Africa was making good progress for vaccine development.
He said a continental strategy was being developed to set up a consortium of clinical trials and then begin the procurement and financing of vaccines.
Politico understands that this antibody tests is just one of a handful of therapeutic trial of Covid-19 Sierra Leone will be taking part in.
The WHO Country Rep, Dr Evans Liyosi, told Politico last month that its’ been supporting Sierra Leone to participate in these trials, for which the medications had already gone through the ethical approval of the country’s Ministry of Health.
Dr Liyosi said the 34 Military Hospital in Jui and Kenema Government Hospital, were among the facilities earmarked to use in the studies.
The WHO boss added that countries participating in such studies stand to gain from the outcomes.
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