The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Ehanire has disclosed that the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development {NIPRD) has shared its final report on the evaluation of the COVID Organics from Madagascar.  “The initial report had showed that its main ingredient is the same as Artemisia anua, while the preparation at high dose showed activity in reducing the frequency of cough, it did not show any evidence that it has real curative properties against COVID-19. However, we shall continue to support all genuine efforts towards finding local COVID 19 cures.

The Honourable Minister disclosed this at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Press Briefing held on Monday, 23rd July, 2020. He revealed that the ThisDay Dome Isolation Center has finally started admitting COVID 19 cases. “It is the most comprehensive of our treatment centers, fully equipped to treat mild, severe and even critical COVID-19 cases. It has ventilators, oxygen concentrators and even dialysis machines.

On behalf of His Excellency, President Muhamadu Buhari, I again express appreciation to the CACOVID group who set up the Center and the CBN, who is providing hospitality to staff and patients; personnel will be deployed from the FCT to join the expert team from the specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, who have been assigned to ensure smooth take-off and mentor a critical mass of health workers to operate the Centre.” Continuing, the Minister advised that Nigerians should eat healthy foods in order to have the right nutrients in these uncertain times, to enable them build their immune system and to strengthen their capacity to resist infections with foods like fruits, vegetable and vitamins.

The Minister concluded by reminding Nigerians that though COVID-19 may have the same symptoms like fever with malaria but COVID-19 IS not malaria. “However, symptoms like cough, sore throat, fever, loss of sense of taste or smell, difficulty in breathing, headache, and less commonly, diarrhea, body pain, catarrh, shivering, fatigue, especially when several symptoms occur together, are suggestive of COVID-19; a test is required, please call your State hotline or visit a sample collection center, which can be found on the NCDC website”, he stated.