Drug reduces death in one third of seriously ill patients Dexamethasone

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care yesterday said doctors have started administering a drug called dexamethasone on Covid-19 patients after United Kingdom scientists said it reduces death among severely ill patients.

Researchers at Oxford University found dexamethasone reduced deaths in one-third of patients on ventilators and one-fifth in those who require oxygen.

After the findings were announced on June 16, the UK government authourised the country’s National Health Service (NHS) to start using it immediately.

Here is what we know so far about the drug:

What did the study say?

UK scientists found out that 40 out of every 100 patients who were on ventilators were dying but when they were given dexamethasone, it reduced the number of deaths to 28, saving one in every eight patients who were on treatment. For those on oxygen, a quoter, that is 25 out of 100 patients died but deaths were reduced to 20 when the drug was used.

What has the World Health Organisation (WHO) said about the drug?

WHO welcomed the initial results and its Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described it as a breakthrough?

“This is great news and I congratulate the Government of the UK, the University of Oxford, and the many hospitals and patients in the UK who have contributed to this lifesaving scientific breakthrough,” he said.

The drug has been on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines since 1977 and has been used to treat other conditions before the outbreak of Covid-19. WHO said clinical guidance will be updated to reflect how and when the drug should be used in Covid-19.

Can the drug be bought over the counter?

No. One needs a prescription to buy dexamethasone. Generally, people can only buy over-the-counter medication for illnesses that are not life-threatening like Covid-19.

Are there any African countries using dexamethasone to treat Covid-19 patients?

South Africa’s Health Ministry has already approved the use of the drug in the neighbouring country which has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Africa.

South Africa’s Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told local media that three South Africa companies manufacture the drug.

He said the drug is cheap, easy to transport, easy to administer and health workers will not require additional training to use it as it has been in use.

Can dexamethasone prevent Covid-19 infection?

The drug cannot prevent infection. South Africa’s Independent Community Pharmacy Association has warned people against people buying dexamethasone to try to protect themselves against contracting Covid-19 saying it can have the opposite effect.

“It cannot be used to prevent Covid-19, in fact, it can have the opposite effect because it tempers down your immune system, it reduces inflammation and your immune response. It’s the worst thing you can do if you’re trying to prevent yourself from the virus,” the Independent Community Pharmacy Association CEO, Jacky Maimin told the South African media recently.

Are there any guidelines for Covid-19 treatment using the drug?

On June 25, the US National Institutes of Health Covid-19 released some guidelines.

It said its Covid-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) recommends using dexamethasone (at a dose of 6 mg per day for up to 10 days) in patients with Covid-19 who are mechanically ventilated (AI) and in patients with Covid-19 who require supplemental oxygen but who are not mechanically ventilated (BI). The Panel recommends against using dexamethasone in patients with Covid-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen (AI).

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