A webinar organized by the National Information Platform for Nutrition (NIPN/EPHI) and IFPRI discussed "The role of Vitamin D in treating COVID-19 Patients: Current Scientific Evidence's on May 29, 2020.
Ato Maresha Tessema, from EPHI introduced the webinar and Teunis Van Rheenen (IFPRI, Washington DC) moderated the session.
The webinar engages several researchers and initiates an important discussion on treating the current global health threat, COVID-19, and the role of vitamin D in treating COVID-19 patients.
Susan J. Whiting, distinguished Professor Emeritus of Nutrition at College of Pharmacy and Nutrition from University of Saskatchewan, Canada delivered her presentation on the topic.
Professor Susan gave an overview of vitamin D metabolism and why vitamin D deficiency is common. She also highlighted the vitamin D deficiency in Africa and more specific in Ethiopia, the functions of vitamin D in inflammation and immune response in which she explained the meta-analysis done on innate (eg cathelicidin) and acquired (cytokines) immunity and the prevention of lower respiratory infection. Professor Susan also stressed on how vitamin D status can prevent or mitigate the severity of COVID-19. Additionally, she mentioned the possible options for intensive care unit (ICU) treatment.
In general, the presentation brought recent discoveries on vitamin D and immunity. It showed three researches done in Ethiopia to the audience. Susan also delivered vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections. She brought evidence that vitamin D could reduce risk of influenza and COVID-19 infections and deaths.
Three panelists, Dr. Feyissa Regassa from EPHI, PHEM EOC, Dr. Dawit Kebede, pulmonary and critical care subspecialist from Eka Hospital and Dr. Tibebeselassie Seyoum from University of Hohenheim, Germany reflected on the presentation. The panelists expressed their view, saying that vitamin D is very essential to fight COVID-19 and could be an option to support the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Dr. Aregash Samuel, deputy director of FSNRD and coordinator of the NIPN concluded the webinar saying that the audiences have learned a lot from the webinar and NIPN will continue organizing similar webinars on current issues in the future.
About 86 participants attend the webinar.
(you can find the webinar presentation on this link; here
