Nigerian health officials try experimental Ebola drug in hope for cure

World Today

Nigerian health officials try experimental Ebola drug in hope for cure

Nigeria is racing to halt the spread of the Ebola virus and save the lives of those who have contracted the deadly disease. So far, the country has recorded four deaths from the virus including the Liberian who brought the virus to the country. Health officials now say they have received an experimental drug, nona-silver, to try and treat those who have been infected. CCTV’s Deji Badmus reports.

Nigerian health officials try experimental Ebola drug in hope for cure

Nigeria is racing to halt the spread of the Ebola virus and save the lives of those who have contracted the deadly disease. So far, the country has recorded four deaths from the virus including the Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who brought the virus to the country. Health officials now say they have received an experimental drug, nona-silver, to try and treat those who have been infected. CCTV's Deji Badmus reports.

Since July 25th, when health officials announced the death of the Liberian Patrick Sawyer from the Ebola virus disease, three Nigerians who had direct contact with him have died. Four deaths have been confirmed in the country.

Six others confirmed to have the virus are isolated and undergoing treatment. Apart from working hard to prevent the spread of the virus, health officials are racing to save the lives of those in isolation.

Like other Ebola experimental drugs, nano-silver has not been tested on humans before. It is produced by American Doctor Rima Laibow. She recently wrote an open letter to the presidents of the countries affected by the Ebola virus, vouching for the efficacy of her medicine. However, the United States Food and Drugs Administration expressed concerns over the drug, saying it cannot provide information on its Ebola claims.

The head of the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Society says in the light of the danger Ebola poses, using the experimental drug may not be a bad idea.

“We have a situation that is akin to the devil and the deep blue sea. So people want to take a plunge, especially if there is hope that administering this products can sustain life for some more years even if it is at the risk of some consequences in the future. Even in health care, you weigh what is called the benefit risk ratio in administering routine drug in some clinical disease state, and I guess that is the state we are in. So if that is the only option left and the client is comfortable with it, I guess we have no other option than to administer these products.” – Olumime Akintayo, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria

Olumide said the Pharmaceutical Society does not have any experimental drug in the offing at the moment, but is working on coming up with locally-made hand sanitizers to aide prevention.

It is more or less a fight against time for health officials in Nigeria in their quest to find a vaccine for Ebola. The government already set up a team of medical scientists to come up with one, and the team has since set to work. It has not come up with something significant yet.

Everyone is now waiting to see what impact the nano-silver will have on the patients.