The federal government has told COVID-19 survivors to stop giving details of the drugs used for their treatment, so they don’t encourage self-medication.
The Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, made the plea at a press briefing in Abuja.
This follows recent revelations by some high-profile survivors, who spoke about the drugs administered on them during their treatment.
Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, expressed concern that some of the testimonies disclosing the prescription for treatment could encourage patients to indulge in self-medication instead of seeking help from health authorities.
“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.
“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,” Mustapha said.
He also said that five states in Nigeria were currently participating in the ongoing World Health Organization (WHO)-coordinated solidarity trial to find a cure for the pandemic, saying that at the end of this trial, relevant health authorities would make statements on acceptable drugs for treating COVID-19.
