Health
Pharmacists reveal Why Lassa Fever drugs can’t be stocked
Nigerian pharmacists say they do not stock the Lassa fever drug of choice, Ribavirin, because it is not a medication for the treatment of “typical day-to-day ailments”, adding that only the Federal Government can stock products like that.
The pharmacists and operators of pharmaceutical outlets disclosed this to EkoHotBlog as Nigeria continues to fight the haemorrhagic fever that has continued to spread throughout the nation.
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According to the Director-General, Nigeria Centre For Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, at least 12 states have recorded over 200 confirmed cases of Lassa fever outbreaks, with about 41 deaths so far, adding that 89 percent of the confirmed cases were from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi states.
Ribavirin is an antiviral medication that is used in the treatment of viral infections, including Lassa fever, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, hepatitis C and some viral haemorrhagic fevers
It may be recalled that, on January 4, 2016, the World Health Organisation in Nigeria donated 7,000 vials of Ribavirin to Nigeria towards treating cases of Lassa fever outbreak then.
However, many drug outlet operators have expressed their unwillingness to stock it.
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