Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has ordered the state’s task force and healthcare personnel to use chloroquine and Zithromax in treating coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients to avoid deaths in the state.
He described the drugs as “effective” in the treatment of COVID-19, saying the drugs and efforts of doctors saved his life from the pandemic.
While briefing newsmen on the efforts of his government in curtailing the spread of the virus yesterday, Mohammed said he would take responsibility of any outcome of the drugs’ administration.
He said, “We have six ventilators, should anything go wrong. So far, nothing has gone wrong. The 18 cases we have just recorded increased our total cases to 29; six persons have been discharged, 23 on admission and no death. Our medical team is using their own acumen to use chloroquine, Zithromax and other things, though in some places, they said it is not protocol.
“But, as a governor, I will take responsibility; I don’t want anyone to die. I have given the directive. They must use something that other patients and I have used to get well; rather than saying that something is sample, when we are used to taking chloroquine in Nigeria.”
The use of Chloroquine, and a related derivative, hydroxychloroquine, have gained attention for the treatment of the deadly coronavirus, but the World Health Organization (WHO) says there’s no definitive evidence they work
Muhammed was Bauchi’s index COVID-19 patient but has fully recovered after treatment.