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The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof.Mojisola Christianah ,has advised Nigerian ivory tower researchers and other herbal medicine practitioners to refrain from promoting untested unverified medicinal products as suitable for the cure of COVID 19, without the agency’s approval.
She warned that such an act is a violation of the national regulatory authority’s regulations and protocols.
She maintained that no single drug has been found yet to cure COVID -19, noting that medicinal products available now can only help ease symptoms and up the odds of survival.
She warned Nigerians against excessive consumption of onions and garlic with a view to curing COVID–19.
She said:‘’People might have been using it and they get better. But if it is not documented, it cannot be recognized by NAFDAC for COVID– 19. They work on our cells to keep people healthier. But not to cure COVID – 19. They help our body to function better. There is no cure for COVID -19 yet’’.
She added that they may boost the immunity and the person may not be easily susceptible to infection, adding ‘’even with that you still have to protect yourself. If you eat Garlic and Onion and you don’t use mask you will get COVID -19. if you are in a very bad environment; If you dont watch your hands, you will get COVID -19. So, everything has to be put together’’.
University of Jos said that there was a herbal medicine, whether its tea or whatever, that can cure COVID 19. They linked it with treatment of COVID -19. They did the packaging, she said.
She added: We did a letter to warn them that they cannot claim something unless it has gone through our listing process. They were trying to sell it to their staff. That is violation of our own regulatory policies. Nobody should say that this one can cure this or that without going through NAFDAC listing process.
According to her, the research into herbal medicine by the academia is normal. She however, quickly added that It is now for the academia to also recognize the national regulatory authority established to safeguard the safety of the Nigerian populace by ensuring that the product that they are working on has to go through NAFDAC if they want to make it available for human consumption.
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