Uganda Using Hydroxychloroquine And Erythromycin to Treat Covid-19 Patients.
The Director of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Henry Mwebesa has revealed that the recently three discharged patients who had tested positive to Coronavirus were treated using hydroxychloroquine drug, an anti-malarial drug.
“The patients we are discharging today were on hydroxychloroquine and erythromycin actually,” Dr. Mwebesa tweeted.
He was respomding to a question raised by one of his followers, Brandon Ndoni who asked Government to clarify on usage or chloroquine.
“The WHO, Europe (bar France) are yet to authorize use of Antimalarials Hydroxychloroquine, Chloroquine in treating Covid-19 pneumonia. US’s FDA approved it’s trial. INQUIRY. Is UG practicing this trial, how effective is it?,” Brandon had tweeted.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Health discharged 4 Ugandans who tested negative for Covid-19 after treatment. 3 others have been discharged today, Monday. The Ministry of Health says others will be discharged after their families and communities have been prepared to receive them.
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are oral prescription drugs that have been used for treatment of malaria and certain inflammatory conditions and although they have been fronted as treatment to Coronavirus, the World Health Organisation has denied existence of evidence to back up the claim.
Two weeks ago, Jordan approved the use of Hydroxychloroquine for treatment of Covid-19 patients. U.S. President Donald Trump has also been rooting for the use of the drug.
The Center for Disease Control and Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) recently noted that Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are under investigation in clinical trials for pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and can be used for treatment of patients with mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19. However, approval of the drug is pending investigation.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of WHO during a press briefing in Geneva Switzerland said that the vaccine is still at least 18 months away and urged Governments to use therapeutics to treat patients and save lives.
Tedros said that over 45 countries are contributing to the trial and more have expressed interest and defended the delay in confirming the drug stating that the history of medicine is strewn with examples of drugs that worked on paper, or in a test tube, but didn’t work in humans.
“We must follow the evidence. There are no shortcuts,” Dr. Tedros said.
Source: soft power
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