The WANIDA Fellows
Program of Study:
M. Tech, Food Safety
Affiliated ACE:
African Center of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety (ACEMFS), Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
Title of Thesis:
Investigating the Traditional and Recent Approaches in Herbal Medicine for COVID-19 Therapy.
Dennish Omolo
Program of Study:
M. Tech, Food Safety
Affiliated ACE:
African Center of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety (ACEMFS), Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
Title of Thesis:
Investigating the Traditional and Recent Approaches in Herbal Medicine for COVID-19 Therapy.
Starting year:
January 2021
Problem Statement:
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people’s lives differently, ranging from high cost of living to death.
It has also ravaged economies as business is not as usual, with the enforcement of lockdown, causing increased poverty and inequities at a global level.
Thus COVID-19 is a health crisis affecting societies and economies at their core. At this time, there is no specific treatment for COVID-19, with only vaccine candidates rolled out in different countries, which have been met with criticism as many people are sceptical about the vaccines.
Furthermore, with the speculations of side effects in the body such as blood clot, leaves only a small percentage of people willing to take the vaccine.
Elsewhere, some countries charge heavily for the administration of the vaccines leaving the common man with no option but not to take the vaccine.
Expected Outcome:
This study is aimed at investigating the therapeutic activity of known herbal plants against COVID-19, thus providing information that will prove beneficial to the health sector, as it will play an overall effort in pharmacological research, drug and vaccine development for COVID-19, as herbal drugs are considered natural and safe.
It will also provide an avenue for the exploration of herbal plant metabolites as therapeutic agents for COVID-19 infection.
Impact:
This research directly contributes to good health and well-being (United Nations SDG 3) and allows greater public access to health information thus, building confidence on drugs. The data and results from this research will guide the international bodies and agencies in formulating policies and making decisions revolving around COVID-19 infection.
Supervisor:
Dr Dickson Musa, Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety (ACEMFS), Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
Co- Supervisor:
Dr Ibrahim Chindo, Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety (ACEMFS), Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
Other contributors on PhD/MSc supervision:
Professor Hussaini Makun, Center Leader of ACEMFS.