The Centre of Awareness has disclosed that it has found a potential cure for HIV and AIDS following 10 years of research into plant medicines in Ghana.
According to Dr Samuel Ato Duncan, Executive President of the Centre, the drug named COA 72 has been scientifically tested in South Africa and seen to be efficacious and safe for the treatment of HIV and AIDS.
“COA 72 has the potency to smoke virus from their hideout and clear them in the blood stream’’
Dr Duncan said this at a presentation on the drug at the Physicians and Surgeons auditorium in Accra.
He said the medicine was first tested in a test tube and later an animal and then on human beings. He stated that the medicine, COA 72, worked in three days, equivalent to 72 hours, hence the name.
HIV is believed to have originated in west-central Africa during the late 20th century. AIDS was first recognised by the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in 1986 and its cause – HIV infection – was identified in the early part of that decade.
From its discovery and 2014, AIDS has caused an estimated 39 million deaths worldwide.
HIV is spread primarily through unprotected sex (including anal and oral sex), contaminated blood transfusions, hypodermic needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding.
There is no cure or vaccine for the disease, however, anti-retroviral treatment could slow the course of the disease and may lead to a near-normal life expectancy.
Dr Duncan called on World Health Organisation to support the Centre of Awareness to collaborate with credible Research institutions to conduct proper controlled clinical trials with appropriate international standard for global acceptance of COA.
Gov’t will support new drug
Mr Johnny Osei, Deputy Chief of Staff said Government would support newly discovered HIV medicine. He said government would carefully access the efficacy of the drug.
“There are laid down procedures that one goes through when such drugs are discovered. We have requested Dr Duncan to present all documentation to that effect so that government can access it thoroughly and then forward it to science research institutes in the country for further research”.
“If this drug is proven authentic, – that is good news! Government will support it fully to the latter,” he said.
–
Source: GNA