Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Memories of the 1996 controversial drug trials in Kano by Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company resonated in the minds many in the ancient city following the announcement of a COVID 19 drug clinical trial in the state.
The Federal Government had Monday listed Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Kaduna, FCT and Sokoto states for the conduct of the World Health Organisations drug trials for the treatment of COVID 19.
The four drugs for trial, according to the Minsiter of Health, Osagie Ehanire were Chloroquine, Lopinavir, Ritonavir and Remdesivir.
However, a civil society organization, Kungiyar Matasan Kano Advocacy has rejected the decision to test these drugs in the state while expressing surprise at the fact that the state was selected for the trials.
A statement issued the Chairman Board of Trustee of the advocacy group, Comrade Alhassan Haruna Danbatta on Friday regretted expressed fear that residents of the state would used as guinea pig for a clinical trail.
The statement wondered why Kano and Nigeria would be selected for these trials while Wuhan in China, where the disease originated and the United States of America, with the highest fatalities were excluded for the trial.
Kungiyar Matasan Kano Advocacy said the case of Trovan drug trial by Pfizer pharmaceutical company, during meningitis epidemic in Kano State in 1996 was still fresh in the memory of the memory of the state.
‘’Up till now, many of the affected families in the Pfizer case were not even paid the compensation, despite the out of court settlement with many of the children now living with one deformity or another,’’ said the statement.
The statement claimed that the effective management of COVID-19 in Kano State has resulted in low deaths and low daily infections, while adding that this was an indication that the virus would be brought under control in the state.