Federal Government has told coronavirus survivors to stop giving details of the drugs used for their treatment in a bid to discourage self medication.
The Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, made the plea at a press briefing in Abuja, following recent revelations by some high profile survivors, talking about the drugs administered on them at the treatment centres.
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Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) expressed concern that some of the testimonies disclosing the prescription for treatment of the virus could encourage patients to indulge in self-medication rather than seeking help from health authorities.
The SGF said;
The PTF congratulates and appreciates the testimonies of Nigerians who have recovered from COVID-19, which has given us more insights and further strengthens the need to adhere strictly to guidelines issued.
Mustapha stressed that;
However, an emerging issue from all these testimonies is the issue of prescription for treatments. We should always remember that the symptoms of COVID-19 mimic some illnesses we already know but treating the symptoms is not the same as treating the virus. For this reason, we strongly discourage self-medication.
He urged all Nigerians that have symptoms of coronavirus to test for the virus and go into the isolation centres for care by experts, if they test positive.
The PTF head also said five states in Nigeria are currently participating in the on-going World Health Organization (WHO)-coordinated solidarity trial to find a cure for the pandemic.
He added that at the end of the trial, relevant health authorities would make statements on acceptable drugs for treating COVID-19.
As at press time, there is no known cure for coronavirus that has infected over 4.6 million people and over 300,000 casualties in 215 countries and territories worldwide.
