Experts committee to determine use of Dexamethaone for COVID-19 patients

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

 An experts committee in Pakistan will consider use of Dexamethaone for using on the critical patients of COVID-19 after getting positive results from UK.

“Positive results from UK on use of Dexamethaonein critical patients welcomed by WHO (World Health Organization) as a first treatment to be shown reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 that requiring oxygen or ventilator support,” Advisor to Prime Minister, Dr Zafar Mirza, tweeted on June 16. 

It is an old and cheap anti-inflammatory medicine (steroid) and we have multiple producers in Pakistan, he mentioned in his tweet. 

“Please note, it is only for critically ill COVID-19 patients, those on oxygen and ventilators, the medicine must not be used by mild to moderate patients. Self-medication is strictly prohibited and can be dangerous as the medicine has many side-effects,” he warned. 

“Please educate people that it should only be advised by a qualified doctor in only certain clinical conditions. This is not for self-medication, as it may have many short-term and long-term side effects,” a blogger advised Dr Zafar Mirza. 

A number of bloggers expressed apprehension on sky-rocketing of the Dexamethaone in the markets, hoarding and fake medicines.