Some hospitals in Lagos state have been receiving patients suffering from chloroquine poisoning, according to Gboyega Akosile, chief press secretary to the governor.
Quoting Oreoluwa Finnih, senior special assistant to the governor on health, Akosile warned people against massive consumption of chloroquine as a measure to fight coronavirus.
The demand for chloroquine, an oral artemisinin-based monotherapies (oAMTs) for malaria treatment, soared a few hours after President Donald Trump said the drug had been approved to treat COVID-19.
But Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, contradicted the American president, saying the agency was still working to examine all possibilities.
TheCable had reported how residents trooped to pharmaceutical stores across Lagos and Abuja on Thursday evening to purchase the drug.
In a tweet on Friday, Akosile warned people against harming themselves through the indiscriminate use of the drug.
“Hospitals now receiving patients suffering from Chloroquine Poisoning, says Gov @jidesanwoolu’s SSA on Health, Dr @Oreoluwa_Finnih. She urged people against massive consumption of Chloroquine as a measure to fight #Coronavirus,” he tweeted.
Please note: Hospitals Now Receiving Patients Suffering From Chloroquine Poisoning, Says Gov @jidesanwoolu’s SSA on Health, Dr @Oreoluwa_Finnih
She urged people against massive consumption of Chloroquine as a measure to fight #coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/Q4vLS79KUs
— gboyega akosile (@gboyegaakosile) March 20, 2020
Earlier, health experts had dismissed speculations that the drug could be used in fighting the virus.
‘Self-medication can lead to death’ — NCDC warns against inappropriate use of chloroquine
by The Cable
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not approved the use of chloroquine for coronavirus treatment.
Chloroquine is an oral artemisinin-based monotherapies (oAMTs) for malaria treatment.
In a message posted on Twitter on Friday, the agency advised people not to engage in self-medication as it could cause them more harm.
“WHO has NOT approved the use of chloroquine for #COVID19 management. Scientists are working hard to confirm the safety of several drugs for this disease. Please DO NOT engage in self-medication. This will cause harm and can lead to death,” the NCDC said.
TheCable had reported how people were rushing to pharmacies to get the drugs a few hours after President Donald Trump said chloroquine had been approved to treat COVID-19.
#FactsNotFear@WHO has NOT approved the use of chloroquine for #COVID19 management. Scientists are working hard to confirm the safety of several drugs for this disease.
Please DO NOT engage in self-medication. This will cause harm and can lead to death.#COVID19Nigeria pic.twitter.com/K6kljq0VtW
— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 20, 2020
Speaking during a briefing on Thursday, Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s regional director for Africa, said there is no proof of chloroquine’s effectiveness in treating the disease.
“We are aware of some trials of the use of chloroquine in dealing with some previous coronaviruses, not this virus,” she said.
“We are not aware of any evidence that demonstrates that this is one of the medicines that could be used but we can find out some more information about that.
“There is a number of ongoing trials of other medicines and we are awaiting the outcomes of those observations. But for now, we are not aware of any conclusive evidence to show that chloroquine could be effective in treating this virus.”