COVID-19: Nigerians must shun chloroquine – NAFDAC warns

FILE PHOTO: The ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China, is seen in an illustration released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. January 29, 2020. Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM/CDC/Handout via REUTERS.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has again cautioned Nigerians against COV1D-19 treatment.

The agency on Thursday insisted that chloroquine was not an antidote for coronavirus as it had not been certified.

Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, gave the warning in a chat with newsmen in Abuja.

“Nobody should buy chloroquine and use. If you have COVID-19, go to a doctor. We have warned Nigerians and shall do that again. Do not take chloroquine,” she said.

The DG NAFDAC explained that the delay in approving some of the drugs for the treatment of the virus was because of the ongoing clinical trials.

Adeyeye pointed out that China carried out lots of trials on chloroquine before it approved its use for “treatment on some COVID-19 patients”.

“Nobody should buy chloroquine and use. If you have COVID-19, go to a doctor. We have warned Nigerians and shall do that again. Do not take chloroquine.

“Clinical trial is not a thing one can handle casually; it requires guidance, supervision and experiment before approval so that it will not cause further damage,” she said.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that Madagascar must scientifically test its solution for the pandemic.

The medication called “COVID Organics” is expected to be delivered to Nigeria in a few days.

 

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