Guyana is participating in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) “Solidarity” clinical trial with several treatments being used to treat COVID-19 patients in the country.
This was revealed by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Shamdeo Persaud on Friday during a webinar hosted by the Texila American University on the ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Medical Education and Clinical Training in Guyana’.
“Solidarity” is an international clinical trial to help find an effective treatment for COVID-19, which was launched by the WHO and its partners. It will compare four treatment options against standard care, to assess their relative effectiveness against COVID-19. By enrolling patients in multiple countries, the Solidarity trial aims to rapidly discover whether any of the drugs slow disease progression or improve survival. Other drugs can be added based on emerging evidence, the WHO said on its website. It said that as of 3 June 2020, more than 3,500 patients have been recruited in 35 countries, with over 400 hospitals actively recruiting patients. Overall, over 100 countries have joined or expressed an interest in joining the trial, the WHO said.