Various delays in procuring access to a Covid-19 vaccine has many South Africans feeling frustrated. It has angered medical experts, too, with many blaming the government for poor planning, vague answers, and a severe lack of transparency. Other countries around the globe (including Israel, Argentina, Chile and Indonesia) have rolled up their sleeves and begun their vaccination programmes, while South Africans are mostly kept in the dark. Often literally.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently defended the ANC’s approach to secure Covid-19 vaccines, saying it has “acted as swiftly as possible in the face of extensive negotiations to get sufficient doses”.
I suppose we should just add this to the list of failures we’ve had to endure with this incompetent government. I’ll wait for the next “we will self correct” statement by the brains trust of the ANC.
— Craig Dennis (@SirFingGrumpy) January 21, 2021
Many South Africans are skeptical and as the number of infections continues to rise well past 1.4 million, some are looking to alternative treatments for some kind of answer.
In a recent interview, BizNews editor Jackie Cameron spoke to Eustace Davie, a health policy expert at the Free Market Foundation, about Ivermectin – an FDA -approved anti-parasitic agent that has been found to inhibit the replication of the virus that causes Covid-19.
In South Africa, Ivermectin is not registered for human use and there are reports of people resorting to the veterinary version, Cameron explains. Davie said it does not make sense that Ivermectin, a medicine listed by the World Health Organisation as essential, has not been cleared for human use in South Africa.
“It’s a drug that’s been around for a long time. The person who got a Nobel Prize for discovering the drug, Satoshi ÅŒmura, he did that about 30 years ago. But this drug has been used extensively in Africa, mainly through the agency of the WHO. It has been used for all sorts of things, on a huge scale. 22 countries reported that distribution of Ivermectin was carried out by 697,921 community directed distributors. These were ordinary people being taught how to distribute the drugs and did so. The number of infected persons was reduced from 39.9 million to 15.7 million. A reduction of 24.2 million infected people. Now, this is just remarkable. How our Health Department and the products regulatory authority did not know about this, I do not know. All I did was go to the WHO and found all this information, telling us that this drug is safe. They are talking about requiring clinical trials. The one thing they don’t have to check on, is the safety. Millions of people have been treated with it.”
“I think it’s unconstitutional for the Department of Health to prevent people from buying the drug for themselves and treating themselves. They’re not going to kill themselves.”
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Read also: Govt has ‘dropped the ball’ on Covid-19 vaccine procurement. What now?
The response from the community is somewhat mixed, with some arguing that Ivermectin is no more dangerous than a vaccine. Others are more cynical, claiming its prohibition could be part of a dark political agenda.
#Ivermectin works
That’s why they won’t let anyone take it.— 3DMapLady Numba2 (@AgentsZar) January 21, 2021
What SA really needs is an anti parasitic remedy against the ANC from their thieving low IQ virus!”
“Ivermectin works well as a anti parasite!” says
Tracer ZA agrees. “Mmmmmm… we could use it to destroy the ANC in that case.”
“Well, if there is anything that shows up the ANC’s claim that they are trying to save lives by the lockdown this is it. Despite what Cyril says in his family meetings! It seems that you have a drug that has been proven safe for humans but then they put up all kinds of bureaucratic obstacles to its use to save lives. This is reminiscent of the Aids fiasco and the ANC. It seems the electorate are happy to keep electing people intent on curbing their freedom and destroying their lives,” writes
A radio host says today we can’t take ivermectin “because we must be careful what we put into our bodies + products must be checked, via proper trials”.
Yet, mRNA vaccines are to be rushed into our bodies, without proper trials 🤣
Ivermectin has a long, verifiable medical history— Media Bubble (@Factsmatter2) January 19, 2021
Technically the ANC government is probably correct when they claim that the drug is not for humans since it has not been registered for administration to us, but only as a veterinarian drug. However what is shocking to me is that no good studies of its efficacy in COVID-19 have been done after such a long time of experienced clinicians claiming excellent results when it has been used (with other substances and techniques). By this time we should know if it works or not rather than in a limbo of guessing because of many bad studies.”
The corrupt ANC mafia regime have nothing to gain by legalizing #Ivermectin4SA – they would rather have people die of Covid-19.
— @LionoftheSavannah (@Lion_For_Truth) January 19, 2021
Read also: ‘They failed the country’. Pressure building on govt over Covid-19 vaccine delay
Ivermectin for human use is not banned in South Africa. It is listed as a schedule 3 medication requiring prescription. It however is not indicated for anti-viral treatment and requires the medical research council to authorize its use for such.
— Gareth M. Coats (@garethcoats) January 19, 2021
South Africans ALSO have a constitutional right to enjoy an alcholic drink after a days HARD work too FFS
— Adrian Ranson (@adrianranson) January 19, 2021
Who do we trust?
Why don’t doctors speak with one voice?— Filipe (@besides4me) January 19, 2021
Ramabillion won’t entertain this due to hidden vaccine agendas
— Tbos (@Tbos71780183) January 20, 2021
Would I use medicine that were meant for my pets? Definitely not.”
What are your thoughts on Ivermectin’s use in the fight against Covid-19? Add your voice to the discussion below.
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