A drug to treat critically ill Covid-19 patients may soon be used in the country. kgmadisa
In his address to the nation on the 100th day since the country reported its first case, President Cyril Ramaphosa said dexamethasone was a much needed breakthrough in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
Dexamethasone, which the president said would be in ample supply, is manufactured in the country by pharmaceutical giants Aspen and costs between R149 and R179. It can be taken orally or injected.It is a steroid that has been used to treat inflammations in various conditions including arthritis among others since the 1960s.
.“In the interim, we believe that intravenous dexamethasone 6mg daily or an equivalent oral corticosteroid for 10 days may be considered in patients with confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19 who are being mechanically ventilated,” the advisory committee said. The official, who spoke to Sowetan on condition of anonymity yesterday said that “in science you don’t do that. You don’t say because a trial was successful then you come and say go on and do this”.
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