E20 DRUG WITH COVID-19 PROMISE NOW E700

MBABANE – With desperation creeping in because of the seemingly hopeless situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are now purchasing any drug which is said to treat the virus. 

The latest drug on the market or in Eswatini is called Ivermectin, which some people are purchasing at pharmacies in the country for about E700. 

The tablet, according to experts, ordinarily costs no more than E20 and is ordinarily used for killing parasites in the body (deworming) and treatment of external parasites like head lice.

Ivermectin is also used for animals such as dogs for heartworm and parasites which stick to the skin.

However, there have been reports both locally and internationally that the tablet could be the next best thing to treat COVID-19.  

Director of Health Services Dr Vusi Magagula warned emaSwati against taking this drug as yet, as it has not yet been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and said Eswatini was still doing a study on it at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital. 

Repurposed

“Yes, it is a medication mostly for parasites, but it is being repurposed to help people who have COVID-19,” said Dr Magagula. 

He, however, said WHO had not as yet approved it because they were still conducting further studies on the drug. 

Dr Magagula said although not yet approved, there were some seemingly positive results on Ivermectin. 

“For now a proposal has been done and the next step is to conduct an observational study which is led by RFM and they are still finalising it,” said Dr Magagula. 

He said local pharmacies selling the medication for COVID-19 treatment should at the moment refrain from doing so as it was not yet permissible. 

He further said such medication was prescribed and as the Ministry of Health, they would want to know who had prescribed it and for what purpose. 

Dr Magagula said in Eswatini, once a person tested positive for COVID-19, they directed patients as to which medication they could take and they had a list of the medicines prescribed based on each and every case. 

“For now Ivermectin is not part of the drugs which we prescribe and when we do approve it we will inform the nation in a formal manner and not through means of people rushing to make profit like the E700 mentioned. 

“Very soon the report will be released, which will then give direction,” he said. 

Meanwhile, one of the people who purchased the drug at a local pharmacy said he had been given a combination of Albendazole and Ivermectin, which he said were described as chewable tablets. 

Parasitic

Albendazole, also known as Albendazolum, is also a medication used for the treatment of a variety of parasitic worm infestations and is taken orally. 

“I do not have COVID-19 as yet, but I am making sure that should I get it, I will just take the dosage as reports are to the effect that it works,” said the customer.

Meanwhile, the management of the pharmacy confirmed selling the tablets over the counter to anyone, but they only gave it to customers who came with doctors’ prescriptions.  

“We cannot turn back someone with a prescription from a recognised health practitioner,” he said.

A liSwati living in South Africa said they were paying about E1 000 a pack of 10 x 12mg tablets. 

“It works well provided it is administered early enough. It has an almost 100 per cent efficacy rate and can also be used for prophylactic purposes to prevent one from getting infected after exposure,” said the source.      

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