African vaccination teams reach a major goal

WHO and Africa CDC launched a 25-member committee to advise on testing proposed traditional therapies for COVID-19.

The newly launched panel emphasized clinical trials that assess efficacy, safety and quality; it did not certify a COVID-19 remedy.

Members came from research institutions, regulators, traditional medicine programmes and civil society across the region.

Regional director Matshidiso Moeti said that research into potential traditional COVID-19 therapies needed a scientific foundation.

An independent commission certified interruption of indigenous wild poliovirus transmission in the region.

The achievement did not eliminate vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks.

The announcement recognized sustained prevention, case detection and international cooperation.

A regional expert panel endorsed a phase III clinical trial protocol for candidate herbal products against COVID-19, without approving a product.

The panel also endorsed terms of reference for a data and safety monitoring board to review participant safety during trials.

The agreed protocol was intended to help African scientists generate comparable evidence under international clinical research standards.