COVID–19: NAFDAC Approves massive production of Chloroquine

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC , has approved the use of chloroquine for the control and treatment of COVID 19 ravaging the world.

The NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye who announced this at a news briefing in Lagos, said that it’s use would be strictly by doctor’s prescription and not to be sold over the counter.

Prof. Adeyeye noted that although chloroquine had been banned in Nigeria due to its resistance to malaria, clinical trials of the drug in ten hospitals both in China and Minnesota in the United States of America were successful.

“The antimalarial drug which was banned 14 years ago due to the resistance of plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine, has passed through clinical trial in China and Minnesota.

The results have shown that chloroquine is safe and superior in the control of COVID-19 and associated pneumonia, but it must be used on prescription by a medical doctor”

She explained that the drug was tested for clinical safety and efficacy, using Corona virus specimen, and the outcome showed reduction in viral load and prevented the virus from multiplying.

“It reduces the viral load and shortens the time to get better from severe to mild cases. The strength prescribed in the study was 500mg twice a day for 10 days”

The NAFDAC Boss said the Agency had given approval to one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria to produce a batch of chloroquine for emergency use.

Prof. Adeyeye who stressed that the drug is strictly for the control of COVID 19 and should be administered based on doctor’s advice, warned the public against going to buy chloroquine over the counter for the treatment of suspected case of Corona virus or malaria.

The Director General called on members of the public to be vigilant in order not to fall victim of fake chloroquine in the market and urged Nigerians to always wash their hands with soap under running water, avoid hand shaking and hugging of friends as well as maintain the principle of social distancing because prevention is cheaper and better than cure.

Prof. Adeyeye urged members of the public not to panic as the government was doing all it takes to contain the virus.