Nurmat Otabekov: So far no drug has been developed to completely protect from COVID-19 and treat it

“Home treatment of coronavirus is also carried out under the direct supervision of regional clinics and doctors. It is not recommended to take any treatment without the advice of the medical staff.

The Ministry of Health and the Agency for Sanitary and Epidemiological Wellbeing have developed a procedure for treatment at home. Under this regimen, several medicines are recommended, including azithromycin, Placvenil (hydroxychloroxine), lopinavir/ritonavir, remdesivir, umifenovir and favipiravir.

It is said that all of these drugs can also be used to prevent infection. But in any case, you should take such drugs on the advice of medical staff.

Your main task is to use the opportunities to keep your immunity stable,” the epidemiologist said at the AIMC briefing.

These words of the Chief State Sanitary Inspector caused discussions on social networks, and most of them stated that these drugs are not used for prophylactic purposes.

In particular, doctor Azizbek Boltayev wrote the followings on his social network page:

“Chief State Sanitary Inspector, Professor Nurmat Otabekov, objected to the use of ergoferon for prophylactic purposes. Thank you for that! But not only that, he misled citizens into believing that azithromycin, placvenil, and a number of antiviral drugs could be taken on a doctor’s recommendation for prophylaxis. The fact is that the national treatment manual for COVID-19, mentioned by Otabekov in his speech, clearly states that it is not recommended to take any drug for prophylactic purposes.

You have to be very careful when making such recommendations through the mass media. Because our people have a tendency to run to the pharmacy and buy unnecessary drugs.”

Kun.uz correspondent contacted Nurmat Otabekov to clarify the situation.

“Of course, I agree with such content. Saying the names of the drugs during the briefing is like promoting these drugs. I am an epidemiologist, not a treating physician. That is why I have repeatedly said that it is based on the advice of doctors.

I have no intention of promoting any drug at all. On the contrary, during such briefings, I only acknowledged the views of experts working in the field of treatment.

I am aware that the national manual does not recommend taking medications for prophylaxis. In general, I am certainly well aware that to date, no drug has been developed that completely protects from COVID-19 and completely cures it.

Therefore, everyone should always be careful not to be infected with the coronavirus. We all know how to prevent the disease,” Otabekov said.

It should be recalled that before the patients were treated at home, Khabibulla Okilov, a staff member of the Health Ministry, said that while treating the COVID-19, antibacterial drugs such as azithromycin, antiviral lopinavir/ritonavir, hydroxychloroxine and Avigan (favipiravir), heparin and Kleksan were being used.

“Oxygen therapy is also showing good results. In severe cases, symptomatic treatment is carried out, that is, patients are connected to a ventilator,” Okilov said then.