US Won't Provide Experimental Ebola Drug, Zmapp, To Nigeria

 The Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu in an
audience with the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James
Entwistle, during a visit in the minister’s office in Abuja
The American Ambassador to Nigeria, James
Entwistle, said on Monday, August 18, his
country was not yet in a position to make the
Ebola Disease experimental drug, Zmapp,
available to Nigeria.
During a visit to the Nigerian Minister of Health, Onyebuchi
Chukwu, Mr. Entwistle said that the drug was not yet
available in sufficient quantity to go round all the
countries requesting it.
According to NAN, the ambassador didn’t say when the
drug would be available for Africa’s most populous
country. He only advised the Nigerian health ministry to
focus on isolation, screening and prevention.
Commenting the efforts of the Federal Government in
curbing the spread of the Ebola virus in the country, Mr.
Entwistle said the aim of the visit was to discuss further on
the anti-Ebola cooperation between the US government
and the Nigerian government.
“Your government is doing a good job on contact tracing;
I noticed when I flew back here on Thursday night into the
country, before I left the plane I filed in the questionnaire.
“I was very impressed because I had to put in my seat
number which is a very good idea, so that if you have to
trace the guy who was seating next to me you will know
where I am,” he said.
Speaking during the visit, the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi
Chukwu, said the Nigerian Government was withholding its
approval for the Anti-Ebola drug Nano-Silver produced by
a Nigerian because it didn’t meet the requirements of the
National Health Research Ethics Code.
However, the Nano Silver drug was made available to the
Emergency Operations Centre in Lagos on August 14.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Nano-Silver is a pesticide.
He said the ambassador’s visit was an opportunity to
share ideas and information on Ebola virus.