By Harry Awurumibe, Head, ABUJA BUREAU
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 Pandemic has said that it could not ascertain how Oyo state Governor Seyi Makinde recovered from coronavirus within days of being confirmed positive.
Senator Olurunimbe Mamora, Minister of State for Health and member of the PTF said there was no information on how and where the Governor was treated.
Mamora spoke while answering a question during a briefing by the PTF in Abuja on Wednesday.
Prompt News recalls that the Governor had claimed that he recovered from the coronavirus infection with the use of black seed oil, a claim the Minister said cannot be verified.
Recall that Mr Makinde tested positive for coronavirus on March 30 but again announced barely a week later that he had tested negative. He claimed in a radio interview that he was cured after taking black seed oil and other traditional therapy.
But, the Minister stated categorically that the Federal Government is not aware of the claims of the Oyo State Governor.
Mamora said he is not also aware that local herbs can cure COVID-19 disease although he agreed that people in the rural areas of the country often patronize local herbal homes for their health challenge.
He also disclosed that nobody has come to the ministry with proof that they have a local cure for COVID-19 disease, adding that the ministry has a department that oversees traditional medicine but will subject such claims to scientific research through the relevant agencies.
The Minister said that until the claims are scrutinized, the Federal Government can not confirm the authenticity of such.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu has said
that many people who were hit by the virus always recover one way or the other.
He said that COVID-19 is a virus which clears as long as the patient is on medication and under supervision, pointing out that recovered patients are at liberty to say what they think aided their recovery.
