The African Union’s Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC) has outlined ongoing trials for COVID-19, as part of the continent’s stride for treatment and vaccination of the virus.
In total, different trials were ongoing in Egypt, Zambia, Nigeria, Tunisia and South Africa. The Africa CDC admitted that comparatively few treatments were taking place on the continent.
The Africa CDC’s disclosures were held in a virtual meeting with doctors at Shanghai hospital. They wrote about the Webinar for Clinical Care:
“This is the Africa CDC Institute for Workforce Development (IWD) Clinical Community of Practice weekly webinar to build emergency COVID-19 capacity — a virtual community of practice, bringing doctors and clinical providers together over the internet to learn as a community about how best to diagnose, manage, and treat patients with COVID-19.”
An expert; Dr Taji Rajudeen outlined the trials so far:
- Egypt: Africa’s most impacted and first to record a case, has 13 trials ongoing, it specifically focuses on therapeutics. Scientists there are also conducting around two trials on vaccines. They are also looking at the place of nutritional support, especially with honey and some immunotherapy trials are going on in Egypt.
- Zambia: Has one trial ongoing with hydroxychloroquine – the anti-malarial drug touted as a potent remedy.
- South Africa: Africa’s most tested country is also part of the WHO solidarity trial, which is also looking at the efficacy of Chloroquine, Interferon, Remdesivir.
- Nigeria: Like in the cases of Egypt has a trial in progress – still on therapeutic agents.
- Tunisa: Two trials ongoing.
Worthy of note is that the Africa CDC omitted Madagascar, where the government has launched the COVID-Organics remedy. The mixture has not been scientifically approved as yet by President Rajoelina insists the mixture serves both preventive and curative purposes.
As of May 1, all African countries except Lesotho had reported positive cases of the virus. Africa’s tally stood at over 38,000 with 1,634 deaths according to the John Hopkins University tallies. Africa had over 12,500 recoveries which represents about a third of the confirmed cases.