If you are a regular reader of this column, you are most likely to believe that COVID-19 exists, infects, and kills people. But you may not know how devastating it has been for the world population. Specifically, as of 4:00pm on January 19, 2021, it has infected over 96 million and killed over 2 million worldwide. Here in Nigeria, it has infected over 112,000 and killed at least 1,449. Note that these are only reported cases locally and globally.

Furthermore, if you are still under the impression that there is no cure for COVID-19, then please read further about a cheap drug that has now been found to be very effective against COVID-19, either as a prophylaxis to prevent infection from taking hold or as treatment after infection. The drug is Ivermectin, which is available as a generic drug or under the brand name Stromectol.

This drug has been around since the 1980s. It was originally used mainly in creams and lotions to treat lice. A tablet form was later produced to treat parasitic infections of the intestinal tract, skin, and eyes. It later became a cure for roundworm infection and second-line treatment for scabies and rosacea, a skin condition that results in redness and causes pus-filled bumps on the face. Finally, it was also found to be a cure for onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, caused by insect vectors, especially black flies, that breed in water.

What is particularly interesting about this drug is that at least 90 percent of the parasitic infections it was designed to cure were prevalent in Africa. The drug was found to be so effective against these infections that it even eradicated them and related infections. The drug is so cheap that it was even distributed free of charge in many African countries, including Nigeria.

As the world struggles to find a cure to COVID-19, a group of Australian researchers went to work on Ivermectin, only to discover in various experiments that it inhibited the replication of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The finding led to more research in human populations. Altogether, at least 27 studies have been conducted in numerous countries, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iran, Pakistan, Spain, and the USA.

The findings show that Ivermectin substantially reduces the risk of death from COVID-19 by between 65% and 92%, depending on the severity of the case before the commencement of Ivermectin medication. Some of the studies show that death even could be completely averted, if the drug was promptly administered in the early stages of infection. Even more importantly, Ivermectin was found to be more effective than monoclonal antibodies and convalescent plasma, both of which are widely used in the treatment of COVID-19 in the United States.

Similarly, when Ivermectin is used as prophylaxis, it substantially reduces COVID-19 infections, by as much 90% or higher! This puts Ivermectin in the same class or higher than available vaccines. When both are compared, it makes sense to invest in Ivermectin, which costs next to nothing, rather than in vaccines with their prohibitive costs and availability problems.

Even more worrisome is the efficacy of available vaccines on the Nigerian population, especially since Nigeria was not a participant in any of the test phases of the vaccines. By contrast, many Nigerians have used Ivermectin one way or the other in cream, lotion, or tablet form in the past. Moreover, unlike vaccines, Ivermectin is globally available, low cost, and needs no special shipping or handling. Finally, unlike vaccines, whose tolerance has not been tested on the Nigerian population, Ivermectin is well tolerated.

Unfortunately, however, the drug has suffered ignoble delay in recognition, especially in the United States, despite its long-standing approval by the Food and Drug Administration (the equivalent of our NAFDAC). There are two major reasons for this delay. One has to do with the conflict between the political and scientific communities in the United States as a result of the obstinacy of the outgoing American President, Donald Trump, and his demonstrated disregard for science and scientists. This is evident, for example, in his handling of COVID-19 and climate change.

Another reason for the delayed response to Ivermectin is the early huge investment in COVID-19 vaccine by major Western and Asian countries, especially the United States, the UK, and China. Clearly, these investors would like to recoup their capital by selling the vaccines to other countries. As a result, they have remained tone-deaf to pharmaceutical remedies for COVID-19 or at least relegated them to the background.

Recently, however, on January 14, 2021, the National Institute of Health in the United States approved the inclusion of Ivermectin as an option for use in COVID-19. This followed powerful and convincing presentations by Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC), which detailed the efficacy of Ivermectin in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 to two relevant and powerful Committees in the United States.

One was the American Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which held a hearing on “Early Outpatient Treatment: An Essential Part of a COVID-19 Solution” on December 8, 2020. The other was to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Treatment Guidelines Panel on COVID-19 on January 6, 2021.

Fortunately, there is now a group of researchers in Nigeria, led by Professor Femi Babalola, the Principal Investigator of the IVERCOVID study, whose whose purpose is to conduct a double blind randomized clinical trial to assess not just the efficacy but also the safety of Ivermectin in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in Nigeria. The trial may also be able to provide useful guidelines for the dosage of the drug for prophylaxis and for treatment of COVID-19 as there are no such guidelines at the moment.

This trial is now very urgent in view of the ongoing spike of infections in the country. It has cleared NAFDAC approval and given a nod by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. It will be a great shame indeed, if the study were to suffer from lack of funding.

For those, who are already taking the drug in Nigeria, it is best taken on an empty stomach about an hour before food. Finally, patients of asthma and liver condition should consult their doctors before taking it. (The Nation)

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