LASUTH conducting studies on four COVID-19 drugs —CMD

The Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, said on Sunday the hospital had developed six COVID-19-related research proposals to enhance the containment strategies against the pandemic.

The CMD, who disclosed this in a statement updating the public on LASUTH’s role in the state’s COVID-19 response, said the LASUTH research committee, headed by Prof. Femi Idowu, a Consultant Neurosurgeon, was conducting research studies on four drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

He said the research studies also focus on coagulation factors and COVID-19 as well as the role of multi-morbidity and multi-organ dysfunction in COVID-19.

Fabamwo said: “The hospital is poised to carry out these studies, for which external and internal funding is already being sought.

“The commissioner for health has been informed about this.”

According to him, the LASUTH Ethical Committee has been reviewing and giving approvals to the proposed research studies from the state research committee.

The LASUTH chief added that the hospital had made available a 16-bed holding ward for suspected COVID-19 patients pending the release of their test results.

Fabamwo added: “A philanthropist is putting up another 30-bed holding bay for LASUTH.

“When completed, the hospital will be able to isolate a lot more suspected cases, pending when they will have their COVID-19 test results.’’

He said that LASUTH has the capacity to conduct COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

“However, two things needed to happen; our gene expert machine needs to be adapted and reagents kits need to be provided for the tests,’’ he concluded.