Doctors petition health authorities over Ivermectin
JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
The health ministry says it will “apply its mind” regarding the status of Ivermectin in the country.
Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic agent for both human and veterinary use that has been used for lice and scabies in humans, and for intestinal parasites in animals.
In January this year, the NMRC issued a statement saying no clear conclusion could be drawn from the currently available data on the clinical efficacy and safety in Ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
The regulatory council said to warrant approval for the use of Ivermectin in the treatment for Covid-19, robust evidence was required from adequately powered, well-designed and well-conducted clinical trials.
Not convinced
The executive director in the health ministry, Ben Nangombe, yesterday reiterated the stance of NMRC when he said “that up to this point that is the position of the ministry”.
This comes after a group of 31 doctors petitioned the health ministry, demanding that Ivermectin be approved for emergency use by the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC) as treatment for Covid-19.
These doctors said Namibia was now in the most lethal and intensive wave of Covid-19 infection since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.
Namibia’s latest death toll is just over 900, while it has recorded a total of 59 092 confirmed cases, of which 5 771 are active cases.
According to the doctors’ petition, there is mounting scientific evidence to support the use of Ivermectin for Covid-19, with recent studies showing a 78% improvement in patients treated early on in the course of a Covid-19 infection.
They added that for those who have started treatment at advanced stages, a 46% improvement was recorded and Ivermectin could reduce mortality between 53 to 83%.
“There is also significant empirical evident of Ivermectin efficacy worldwide. The massive second wave in India coincides with the abolition of Ivermectin. Some Indian states returned to Ivermectin recently and re-adoption coincides with a sharp decline of Covid-19 deaths and new cases,” they said.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
The health ministry says it will “apply its mind” regarding the status of Ivermectin in the country.
Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic agent for both human and veterinary use that has been used for lice and scabies in humans, and for intestinal parasites in animals.
In January this year, the NMRC issued a statement saying no clear conclusion could be drawn from the currently available data on the clinical efficacy and safety in Ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
The regulatory council said to warrant approval for the use of Ivermectin in the treatment for Covid-19, robust evidence was required from adequately powered, well-designed and well-conducted clinical trials.
Not convinced
The executive director in the health ministry, Ben Nangombe, yesterday reiterated the stance of NMRC when he said “that up to this point that is the position of the ministry”.
This comes after a group of 31 doctors petitioned the health ministry, demanding that Ivermectin be approved for emergency use by the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC) as treatment for Covid-19.
These doctors said Namibia was now in the most lethal and intensive wave of Covid-19 infection since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.
Namibia’s latest death toll is just over 900, while it has recorded a total of 59 092 confirmed cases, of which 5 771 are active cases.
According to the doctors’ petition, there is mounting scientific evidence to support the use of Ivermectin for Covid-19, with recent studies showing a 78% improvement in patients treated early on in the course of a Covid-19 infection.
They added that for those who have started treatment at advanced stages, a 46% improvement was recorded and Ivermectin could reduce mortality between 53 to 83%.
“There is also significant empirical evident of Ivermectin efficacy worldwide. The massive second wave in India coincides with the abolition of Ivermectin. Some Indian states returned to Ivermectin recently and re-adoption coincides with a sharp decline of Covid-19 deaths and new cases,” they said.
[email protected]
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