A Federal High Court which sat in Makurdi, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako had declared the ban as null and void.
The judge however, said he could not ascertain the efficacy of the drug as claimed by the plaintiff, but faulted the action of the government which she said, lacked necessary facilities to conduct test on the vaccine at the time, but at the same time, went ahead to stop it from being used by persons who consented to its application on them.
Abalaka had told journalists at a press briefing in Abuja at the weekend, that he would ensure that the vaccine is used since court had ruled in his favour. He said he did claim to have antidote for AIDS, but for HIV which results in AIDS. The court had also directed the Federal Government to work together with Abalaka to further research on the vaccine.
Responding yesterday to Abalaka’s claim, Country Director of UNAIDS for Nigeria, Dr. Bilali Camara asked the doctor: “The following questions are essential for any vaccine trial to take place and be accepted scientifically: Is there a protocol designed to support Abalaka’s HIV vaccine trial? Who approved the protocol? Which medical ethical review board has approved it? Who has followed-up on the rollingout of that protocol?
Which agency was following up the implementation of the vaccine trial? Where were the results of Abalaka’s vaccine trial published? In which medical journal?
This is not a political or legal issue, but a medical ethics issue and should be treated that way,” Camara asked further.
As Abalaka claimed at his media briefing, the world has not achieved significant breakthrough on the deadly virus, which is reportedly killing millions of people worldwide, yearly.
