The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, has said the state will this week commence the clinical trial treatment of COVID-19 using chloroquine as approved by NAFDAC.
The state, which is the epicentre of the virus in the country, had previously disclosed plans to carry out the chloroquine clinical trial.
Omotoso, in an interview with newsmen on Saturday, said, “We are ready for the chloroquine clinical trial because we have just secured all the approvals. The documentation has also been completed. Those that will be used for the trials are ready too. By next week we should be ready for the trial.
“Also, Lagos got a supply of additional 20,000 testing kits, although we were expecting 40,000. It means that the testing will increase now.”
In a related development, a COVID-19 patient was successfully delivered of a baby boy at the Gbagada Isolation Centre in Lagos on Saturday.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, said the delivery of the baby through a caesarean was another pointer that the state’s strategy in combating the virus was working and yielding the desired results. “Both mother and baby are doing well,” he added.
The governor also announced that 67 more patients, comprising 22 females and 45 males including three foreign nationals; two Indians and a Chinese were discharged from four isolation centres in the state on Saturday.
“The patients; 24 from the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba; 22 from Onikan; 11 from Agidingbi; two from Lekki and eight from Lagos University Teaching Hospital isolation centres were discharged having tested negative for COVID-19 in two consecutive readings.”
While commending the dedication of health workers in the state, he said the number of patients successfully managed and discharged from isolation facilities in the state had increased to 608.
He urged the populace to adhere strictly to all safety advisories being the only way to break the chain of the transmission.
