On this week’s edition of VERDICT, we take a look at a viral claim that hydroxychloroquine is a possible treatment for COVID-19.
The anchor, Debayo Aare stated that the viral claim that chloroquine cures COVID-19 went viral in March 2020 when former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that hydroxychloroquine was a possible treatment for the virus.
Although the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as an emergency treatment for COVID-19 patients but the drug was revoked by the FDA in June after documenting series of side effects. Use of chloroquine as a possible treatment was debunked by several fact-check organisation, still the chloroquine cure claim garnered spotlight again in July 2020 when a video began circulating in Nigeria's social media space.
The video showed a US based doctor, identified as Stella Immanuel, claiming that hydroxychloroquine can be used to treat COVID-19. Recently, News Verifier Africa also debunked the claim on our fact-check website and you can check out the detail on www.newsverifier.africa
To verify this claim, the programme featured Mr. Ore Alabi, a pharmacist with the Lagos State Health Commission who shed more light on why hydroxychloroquine and its use as treatment for COVID-19. After the facts, debunks by public health experts and organisations, press play to know our VERDICT on the viral claim.
The Production Team for this week’s episode are:
Olakunle Mohammed – Project Manager and Researcher
Oluwatosin Ologun – Producer
Adebayo Aare – Presenter
