A guild of medical doctors of private hospitals in Nigeria has reacted to a claim by Stella Immanuel on the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine on COVID-19.
Addressing newsmen in the US, Immanuel revealed that the drug helped her cure over 350 COVID-19 patients with some of them having underlining conditions.
In a statement issued, the medical guild stated that her words shouldn’t be taken as fact until other research on the drug points in the same direction.
“There is no scientific evidence to prove the claim, adding that, her saying the said drugs are certified for treating COVID-19 “is her own personal, unsubstantiated claim.”
“The important point of course, is to note that medical research has subjected HCQ to intense research. While some studies suggest that it is effective, others have come to the opposite conclusion. It is also true that Senegal, where HCQ is routinely used, has one of the lowest COVID-19 case fatality rates in the world at 0.64% compared to 3.4% in the USA.
“As we speak, a study is underway in LUTH on its efficacy and safety. Subsequently, a meta-analysis of all these studies should be undertaken to pool all the results and come up with a summative analysis which will guide clinicians.
“Until then, all anecdotal claims such as the one from Dr Stella Immanuel must be taken with a pinch of salt. It should also be noted that HCQ may be a cause of serious complications and even death in some people,” the guild’s statement read.
