A United States-based organization identified as the Andrew Young Foundation (AYF) has donated 15 cartons of selenium drugs to the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health. The drugs donated by the foundation is intended to boost the immune system of COVID-19 patients in Liberia.
Each of the 15 Cartons of the consignment of selenium drugs which is to help combat coronavirus and other diseases contains 200 boxes with 68 packs of 100 tablets of selenium.
The Andrew Young Foundation was among several organizations that aided Liberia during the fight against Ebola in 2014. As a humanitarian organization, AYF said it has decided to support Liberia in this time of health crisis as a way of maintaining its long-standing relationship with Liberia.
Health practitioners said Selenium is a mineral found in the soil. It naturally appears in water and some foods. While people only need a very small amount, selenium plays a key role in the metabolism.
According to recent studies, Selenium has attracted attention because of its antioxidant properties which protect cells from damage. There is evidence that selenium supplements may reduce the odds of prostate cancer, HIV and coronavirus exists.
Among healthy people, selenium deficiencies are uncommon, and it is reported that some health conditions – such as HIV, coronavirus, Crohn’s disease, and others – are associated with low selenium levels. People who are fed intravenously are also at risk for low selenium. Doctors sometimes suggest that people with these conditions use selenium supplements.
Selenium has also been studied for the treatment of dozens of conditions. They range from asthma to arthritis to dandruff to infertility.
Receiving the donation, Health Minister Wilhelmina Jallah said the contribution by the AYF is very timely, in that the drugs would help to boost the immune system of people that have contracted the coronavirus, saying that the drugs would also be administered to people with different illnesses, like HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, and cancer, among others.
Speaking to journalists August 22 in Monrovia, Dr. Jallah clarified that selenium is not a direct treatment for COVID-19 but rather a booster of the immune systems.
Expressing fear of the drugs getting expired in stock, the Liberian Health Minister said portion of the drugs will be distributed to several health facilities to deal with other complicated health issues.
“Although it is not enough because the intended purpose was for it to only be administered to people with COVID-19 to boost their immune system, we do not want it get expired while in stock so we will distribute some to other health facilities,” she added.
The health minister also stated that this was the first donation made by the Andrew Young Foundation since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Liberia, but added that there are several organizations and individuals that collaborated with the Andrew Young Foundation in donating to the people of Liberia this year.
She expressed appreciation to the organizations for their support to Liberia during this health crisis and expressed the desire for continuation of partnership with them to ensure that lives are saved in the country.
Liberia’s fight against COVID-19 has been relatively successful. Since Mach when the country recorded its first index case, the Country has recorded 82 deaths with 816 recoveries from total conformed cases of 1286 as of August 21, 2020.
In a letter of appreciation to Ambassador Andrew Young, Chairman of the Board of the Andrew Young Foundation, Madam Cynthia Lynn Blandford who is the Honorary Consulate General Republic of Liberia and Georgia President/CEO of the Global Strategies for Good wrote that on behalf of the Liberian Consulate in Georgia, in collaboration with H.E. George S.W. Patten, Sr. extended heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Young Foundation for its leadership and support to Liberia during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a donation of 100,000 tables of Selenium to the Ministry of Health.
Through your Foundation, whose mission is to improve life, health, and well-being of humanity through programs and initiatives created to assist challenged communities, the Liberian Consul General to Georgia in collaboration with the Liberia Ambassador to the USA said they are grateful to the leadership of the Foundation including Mr. Gaurav Kumar, President of the Andrew Young Foundation, who worked tirelessly through your partners with Biosyn, a company that manufactures Selenium in Hamburg, Germany, to ensure that the donation of the 100,000 Selenium tablets made it safely to the Minister of Health, the Honorable Wilhemina Jallah.
“We also wish to acknowledge all those who participated in this effort including Dr. Roland Bardy, Executive Professor of General Management and Leadership, Florida Gulf Coast University, who we understand handled the order amongst others, the letter said.