US President, Barack Obama said yesterday August 6th that it’s too early to send the unapproved experimental drug, Zmapp serum to Africa where the outbreak of the Ebola virus has recorded more deaths and threatens human existence.
Zmapp serum has proven to be effective in treating Ebola cases as two American doctor infected with the virus in Liberia are currently being treated in the US and are said to have improved after the use of the drug. Continue…
According to AFP, President Obama suggested that affected African countries should focus more on building strong public infrastructures.
“I think we have to let the scientist guide us. And I don’t think all the information is in on whether this drug is helpful”.
On whether he would help fast track the approval of the drug should medical experts conclude that the drug is effective, President Obama said;
“I think it’s premature for me to say that because I don’t have enough information. I don’t have enough data right now to offer an opinion on that.”
While stressing that the deadly virus is not airborne, Obama said
“the countries affected are the first to admit that what’s happened here is the public health systems have been overwhelmed. They weren’t able to identify and then isolate cases quickly enough. As a consequence, it spread more rapidly than has been typical with the periodic Ebola outbreaks that occurred previously.”
He said the US is currently working with their European partners as well as the World Health Organization to provide resources to contain the virus.