COVID-19: LASG says chloroquine drug to undergo clinical trial

The Lagos State Government says it will conduct a clinical trial on the effectiveness of chloroquine in the prevention or management of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) infection.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said in a statement on Friday that the clinical trial was necessary in view of the fast-spreading information that chloroquine could be effective in preventing and managing COVID-19.

Abayomi, however, said that the drug had not been ascertained as an effective treatment of Coronavirus disease, as the state was still watching the global research space to clearly define the efficiency of the drug in the control of the disease.

”We do not have any hard evidence that chloroquine is effective in preventing or managing COVID-19. We are watching the global research space to clearly define its efficiency in COVID-19,” he said.

Abayomi said that chloroquine had significant side effects, hence, it should not be used without medical supervision, as it might cause more harm than good.

He urged citizens to seek the advice of a physician and await the directive of the Ministry of Health on the use of the drug.

The commissioner urged the public not to panic, but adhere to instructions of the government, as the present administration was committed to fighting the spread of the virus.

Abayomi appealed to citizens not to take advantage of the present situation on COVID-19 to hike or hoard domestic consumables and enrich themselves.

According to him, members of the public should continue to be their brothers’ keepers and join hands with the government to curtail the pandemic.

“It is condemnable to use this situation to enrich yourselves by hoarding or hiking the prices of domestic consumables for profiteering. We should be responsible citizens in the quest to make Lagos disease-free,” he said.