first outbreak of the virus was in 1976, its origin
traced to Congo and Sudan, cure for the dreaded
disease seems to have been found in the United
States (US).
Two American citizens in Liberia struck by the
ailment while on medical missionary work, Nancy
Writebol and Dr. Ken Brantly flown to the US to get
treatment have improved tremendously, after being
given the experimental drug.
The two Ebola victims, who had travelled 6,000
miles from West Africa in special aircraft, were
admitted at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, are
now getting much better. They were unable to walk
on arrival, but are now doing so.
The report named the serum as ZMapp – an
experimental drug, even not yet approved for
clinical trials, although already used on small
number of monkeys. It was grown in green house
with genetically modified tobacco. So far, the drug is
working well on the Ebola patients.
Manufactured by a US pharmaceutical company,
ZMapp was supposed to hit the market in 2015, but
is being tried because of the current deadly
epidemic caused by the virus now ravaging Liberia,
Sierra Leone and Guinea with nearly 900 people
killed by the disease which has made inroad into
Nigeria. With one person dead and eight people
confirmed positive to Ebola, Africa’s most populous
country could be fatally threatened.
The two Americans have reportedly got up on their
own after the drug was administered on them, seen
as a big surprise. They are already recovering.
Patients afflicted by Ebola are usually quarantined,
going into isolation in the four West African
countries where the disease is ravaging, well
protected and temperatures taken twice a day.
The (US) plans to send 50 health experts to West
Africa and help the health authorities in combating
the scourge. Ebola is virtually out of control in
Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea as dozens of
doctors and nurses have died in efforts to give
medicare to victims.
Unlike Africa with poor ineffective and obsolete
medical facilities, the US has top class
infrastructure and medical personnel to take quick
care of Ebola victims. Among these are the Centre
for Disease Control, CDC, the National Institute of
Allergy and Infections Diseases, IAID, and several
others who are up to the challenge. The
experimental serum has brought some ray of hope
to the global community including Nigeria.
The World Health Organisation has contributed
$100 million to fighting Ebola and so too the World
Bank, concerned about the spread and devastating
effect of the scourge.
In a radio interview, Professor Oluyemi Akinloye,
head of Clinical Chemistry, Medical Laboratory,
University of Lagos, said only little has been done in
Nigeria towards research for Ebola cure. No magic
in scientific Ebola cure. It’s a big challenge for
Africa. No magic in scientific research, as there are
protocols to be followed.
Asked about the Ebola experimental drug, he
seemed not aware of this development, but agreed
that some vaccines have been produced in Nigeria
and currently tested on mice which is quite good.
“The Ebola epidemic can be opportunity to test
these vaccines and speed up trials in Africa. We are
dealing with humans. Emphasis should be on
precaution to control the spread. All scientists in
Nigeria are coming together,” he stated.
Akinloye assured that physicians are talking, not
doing so bad in fighting the epidemic.
On Professor Maurice Iwu’s claim that bitter kola
could be a remedy, he noted that this was still in
experimental stage.
“Traditional medicine has its protocol and a lot still
has to be done.”
Other contributors to the radio programme lamented
that it was shameful that since 1976, there has
been no vaccine for Ebola.
One of them asked what the Federal Government
has been doing since the outbreak in Liberia, Sierra
Leone, etc.
Chief Research Director, Research Institute of
Traditional Medicine, Dr. Idowu, disclosed that
research had been conducted on the virus. “We’ve
gone to roots. In Yoruba, Ebola is called Ajakale-
Arun, which is medicinal plant,” he stated. On
whether bitter kola can cure Ebola, he said it had
not been tried yet.
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