It is in this context that Ivermectin - a drug that is used to treat parasitic worms - has gained a lot of attention. However, South Africa's medical regulator, the drug's manufacturer and some of the country's most eminent scientists have all warned against using it to treat coronavirus. But the use of Ivermectin for coronavirus treatment has divided opinion in the country. Despite this, some doctors began using the drug at the peak of South Africa's first wave in July last year. "At the height of the first wave, a lot of hospitals both public and private and GP practices in South Africa were using Ivermectin," Dr Mdladla told the BBC.

Source: The Star March 27, 2021 03:33 UTC