Coronavirus: Chloroquine can be used to cure infection - NAFDAC

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stated that chloroquine can cure the novel coronavirus.

This was made known by the Director-General, Christianah Mojisola Adeyeye who spoke to newsmen on Tuesday. According to her, research carried out by NAFDAC shows that the drug is capable of tackling the virus at the early stages.

NAFDAC's position on the cure of coronavirus is contrary the World Health Organisation, who has cautioned governments against the use of chloroquine as an alternative to cure the infection.

Adeyeye said that the agency discovered that chloroquine is effective in fighting Covid-19 as it was used to treat over 100 patients in about 10 hospitals in China.

She further added that the drug has been used to treat many patients of Covid-19 in African countries including Ghana and Senegal.

“We realise that chloroquine can be used in the early stage of the COVID-19 infection as prophylactic treatment. Science does not lie.

"In March 2020, I was going through a literature and I found (out) that chloroquine and remdesivir killed COVID-19 in vitro – that is in the laboratory.

“We are now understanding that it is not one drug that can be effective for COVID-19. It depends on the phase of the disease. We started working with Lagos State on clinical trial for chloroquine. We are getting to know that that it is working," Adeyeye said.