Lagos State Government says hospitals in the state are now receiving patients suffering from chloroquine poisoning.
Dr Oreoluwa Finnih, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Health, has alerted, according to a tweet on Friday by Mr Sanwo-Olu’s chief press secretary, Gboyega Akosile.
“She urged people against massive consumption of Chloroquine as a measure to fight #coronavirus,” the tweet read.
The state government says it will conduct a clinical trial on the effectiveness of chloroquine in the prevention or management of Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said in a statement on Friday that the clinical trial was necessary in view of the fast-spreading information that chloroquine could be effective in preventing and managing the disease.
Abayomi, however, said that the drug had not been ascertained as an effective treatment of coronavirus disease, as the state was still watching the global research space to clearly define the efficiency of the drug in the control of the disease.
”We do not have any hard evidence that chloroquine is effective in preventing or managing Covid-19. We are watching the global research space to clearly define its efficiency in Covid-19,” he said.
Abayomi said that chloroquine had significant side effects, hence, it should not be used without medical supervision, as it might cause more harm than good.
He urged citizens to seek the advice of a physician and await the directive of the Ministry of Health on the use of the drug.
The commissioner urged the public not to panic, but adhere to instructions of the government, as the present administration was committed to fighting the spread of the virus.
Abayomi appealed to citizens not to take advantage of the present situation on Covid-19 to hike or hoard domestic consumables and enrich themselves.
