Costa Rica Successfully Uses Hydroxychloroquine
To Fight Covid-19
By Paul lorrah
I'm sure you've all heard by now that hydroxychloroquine has been widely used in the world for decades in the treatment of malaria and arthritis.
Most recently the drug has been used to fight coronavirus or COVID-19
Many politicians and people in the media have said that it is unsafe. However, this was based on 1 early report that was almost immediately retracted due to the use of improper data.
Many countries [including ours] have successfully been using the drug to fight the virus for months.
In March, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS - just like our CDC) started using hydroxychloroquine to patients infected with coronavirus until a vaccine is available.
Mario Ruiz,the medical director of the Caja, Marjorie Obando Elizondo, the director of Pharmacoepidemiology [the study of the utilization and effects of drugs ], Olga Arguedas the director of the Children’s Hospital and Daniel Salas, the minister of Health all confirmed the use of the drug and the success in mitigating and containing the progression of the virus and also in reducing the number of patients who must be hospitalized in intensive care units.
“We had a meeting by teleconference with personnel in China who attended the emergency in the cities of Shanghai and Wuhan, and since then we have been applying hydroxychloroquine," explained Ruiz.
That videoconference, offered by the Chinese Embassy in Costa Rica, took place on the night of March 18. It included, among others, the director-general and the director of epidemiology of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (briefly as China CDC).
Hydroxychloroquine was used in Shanghai as the first line of treatment,” said Arguedas.
She emphasized that the purpose pursued with the use of hydroxychloroquine is to mitigate the progression of the disease, this could be one of the elements that is influencing the good results of the country so far,” added Arguedas.
As with all drugs there are some side effects that are possible and for those individuals with certain risk factors the prescription must be done under strict supervision.
“There are many studies currently in place throughout the world. The WHO (World Health Organization) is also promoting the participation of countries in these studies.
“Hydroxychloroquine is a proven medication, we know how it behaves and what to expect. That is the strategic point”, declared Marjorie Obando, director of Pharmacoepidemiology.
please note that the story above is for informational purposes only and not medical advice. Please consult your doctor before taking any medications.
