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Covid: Museveni orders Finance to release funds for drug trial
There has been a growing interest in the drug as the Covid-19 prevention or treatment. Photo | File
What you need to know:
- Ivermectin is a drug used to treat parasitic diseases such as river blindness, scabies and other diseases caused by soil-transmitted stomach worms. There has been a growing interest in the drug as the Covid-19 prevention or treatment.
President Museveni has ordered the Ministry of Finance to release Shs3 billion for clinical trials of the acclaimed Covid-19 drug ivermectin.
Ivermectin is a drug used to treat parasitic diseases such as river blindness, scabies and other diseases caused by soil-transmitted stomach worms. There has been a growing interest in the drug as the Covid-19 prevention or treatment.
In a February 22 letter to Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, the President explained that his orders are based on evidence from a medical team.
“Sometimes back, I tasked the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) Medical Team to research on the use of ivermectin prophylaxis in the treatment of Covid-19 infection. Trials were carried out on sick soldiers and it was found to have benefits, especially in high-risk populations. I am informed that the study was carried out by the UPDF team together with Makerere University College of Health Sciences,” Mr Museveni wrote.
“The team needs to carry out a well-designed randomised controlled study to evaluate the dozing and scheduling of ivermectin. The findings will inform policy and guide on ivermectin prophylaxis’ effectiveness in the treatment of Covid-19. To be able to carry out the studies, the team requires 3 billion shillings,” he added.
However, a medical specialist at Makerere University, who also treats Covid-19 patients at Mulago hospital, warned that channelling the money towards that research is not wise given the emerging evidence that the drug is not very useful in Covid-19 treatment.
Dr Bruce Kirenga, the director of Makerere University Lung Institute, said emerging evidence shows that ivermectin is not very important in Covid-19 treatment.
“Ministry of Health doesn’t have ivermectin in the treatment guidelines but some doctors have been using it on individual basis. Available studies indicate that it’s not very useful; some studies show that there is some benefit but most of the studies show that there is no benefit,” he told this newspaper.
He added: “That proposal was written at a point when there was some evidence supporting the use. But right now additional evidence has been added. So there will be need to review the current evidence against what had been planned.”
About the drug
Ivermectin is a drug used to treat parasitic diseases such as river blindness, scabies and other diseases caused by soil-transmitted stomach worms.
