The Solidarity trial is a multinational Phase III-IV clinical trial organized by the World Health Organization and other partners to compare four untested treatments for hospitalised people with severe COVID-19 illness globally. WHO’s Nigeria officer and member of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Dr. Fiona Braka, said Nigeria is one of the over 100 countries that have signed up to take part in the drug trial.
It is important that to note that a drug trial does not necessarily mean a vaccine trial, as there is currently no proven cure for the coronavirus. Before now, several conspiracy theories surrounding vaccine development and other alleged sinister motives in Africa have been speculated, sparking massive outrage amongst Africans and on social media.
We’re part of a much broader global effort in different research objectives, in different aspects of the response.
NCDC Director-Geberal.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV on May 3, 2020, DG of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the trial involves evaluating several therapeutic and vaccine candidates.“Ultimately, even when you do the Phase 1 and Phase 2 trial of a vaccine, once it starts getting to actually trying out in humans, you need people across different parts of the world to take some of it and to show that it works and causes no harm.
The announcement comes days after the country’s cases crossed the 2000-figure mark with the death of 87 persons and 400 cases of recoveries. At the moment, Africa has recorded over 45,000 positive cases and 1800 deaths, however, one-third of the cases have been confirmed cover-free.