Local doctors have confirmed that lack of access to the schedule 3 anti-parasitic, known as Ivermectin, has resulted in people flocking to hardware stores and agricultural outlets, where they pay nearly R2 000 for 500ml of Ivomec Gold, the fluid version reserved for treatment on animals.

According to a retired GP, well-known in town – who spoke to the Middelburg Observer on condition of anonymity – the drug is being attained through illegal channels while doctors are still in the process of applying for permission to make use of the drug for treatment.

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority announced that general practitioners can apply for access to Ivermectin under Section 21 of the Medicines Act, but he says that he’s aware of doctors in the country administering the treatment regardless.

SAHPRA caved under the pressure of permitting the use of Ivermectin, despite most authorities advising against it, due to the high demand from citizens for the drug and the legal responsibility of tracking the illegal use or import of the drug.

He added that the Ivermectin pills are selling at the ridiculously high price of R450 per 10 pills of 6mg in dosage.

“The Ivomec gold costs about R2.50 per millilitre and out of that millilitre you can get 30 grams of Ivermectin, yet it costs about R40 for one pill.”

The doctor explained that Ivermectin has been used for many years to treat head lice and scabies. It is also an effective treatment of an illness in Africa, called river blindness, where a parasite enters the eyes and causes loss of eyesight. Ivermectin effectively kills the parasite in river blindness.

The doctor himself acknowledged that he was using Ivermectin as a preventive for the virus and that he’d been frequently testing his liver for common side effects, but that he had shown no reaction.

“What people just need to be warned of is that if you are going to use Ivermectin, both therapeutically or as a preventative measure, don’t think that you can’t still contract the virus. Ivermectin is not a silver bullet and keep practicing safety.”

•SAHPRA reached a settlement with Afriforum after the organisation challenged them in court over the legalisation of the use of Ivermectin.

A court order was made last week Tuesday, allowing medical practitioners to use Ivermectin as a treatment, pending applications made to authorities, should the practitioner feel urgent treatment is crucial to their patient.

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