According to Akintade, clinical trial of Ivermectin for COVID-19 prevention and treatment by the Lagos State Government is good, but its immediate approval for use is expected in a pandemic situation.

NAN reports that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos had, on January 31 during the state COVID-19 update, said that the state government was aware of numerous international claims about Ivermectin.

“The state government is aware of numerous international claims that the broad spectrum antiparasitic agent/medication, Ivermectin, has shown some efficacy in acting as a sustained prophylaxis in containing/inhibiting the causative virus in SARS CoV-2.

“While this medication has not yet been approved for the broad treatment of the Coronavirus disease, the state government has, however, taken the bold step of ensuring we have adequate stock of Ivermectin, which will be initially deployed in a short clinical trial to ascertain its efficiency in our population to prevent and treat COVID-19 infection,” Sanwo-Olu had said.

Ivermectin is an FDA-approved broad spectrum antiparasitic agent that has been shown to have antiviral activity against a broad range of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool say that Ivermectin potentially cuts the risk of COVID-19 deaths by as much as 75 percent.

Akintade also said that clinical trial of Ivermectin was good for Lagos State’s medical documentation.

“Inasmuch as clinical trials have been done elsewhere, and it’s a standard clinical trial, we can go ahead and start using it for prevention.

“Who gave us the approval to start using Azithromycin, Zinc, and other antiviral that we have been using? It was an emergency thing and there’s nothing wrong in using that.

“In a pandemic, you don’t wait to start approving weapons, you use the instrument that’s already available.

“Countries like South Africa have proof of its worthiness, even people who travelled outside the country have been using it and testifying to its efficacy.

“And that’s the essence of what the clinical trial is going to find out. We are close to South Africa in genome, and if it works for any South African, it would work for any Nigerian,” Akintade said.

Also, Ogunremi urged the state government not to delay in embracing the use of Ivermectin as preventive measures against COVID-19.

According to him, various empirical and clinical researches had shown the drug’s efficacy.

Ogunremi said Nigeria lacked the fund to vaccinate its over 200 million population, adding that embracing medications that would prevent the virus was advisable.

“As a matter of fact, I just recovered from COVID-19 infection. I took Ivermectin after the symptoms became worse in spite of the treatment administered on me.

“Within two days of taking Ivermectin, I was up on my feet. It is a safe drug,” Ogunremi said.

He warned that Ivermectin is not an over-the-counter medication, and that it should not be administered without doctor’s prescription.

The expert, however, said that conducting research on dosage, and ensuring regulation on price, was critical to preventing hoarding, overpricing and abuse.

He added that it was time to leverage the full public health potential of Ivermectin in COVID-19 prevention and treatment.

source: Punch