As part of it’s desperate efforts to fight coronavirus and fight an effective treatment back in January, China tried a lot of different drugs. These included antiretrovirals, herbs and one drug that caught our attention back then- chloroquine. According to Chinese research, the old Malaria drug had some positive results when used to treat patients suffering from the coronavirus. The same sentiments have been cautiously echoed by some in the United States.

Sadly though some people, including President Trump, have not been so cautious. They are lauding the drug as some sort of miracle cure, a view not shared by those in the medical profession who have only said the drug was of some help.

Trump touting chloroquine as some sort of miracle cure

Choloriquine is dangerous

For those who do not know, chloroquine used to be a famous malaria drug in Zimbabwe and was marketed as Norolon. It was even available over the counter. However, it was also a popular suicide drug given its poisonous properties. Those who wanted to take their own lives would buy this drug and overdose on it and in that regard, it was pretty effective. Even when taken under the advice of a physician, chloroquine can have some nasty side effects.

In fact following Donald Trump’s miracle cure praise, a number of people have already died as a result of chloroquine poisoning after self-medicating on the drug. Here in Africa, a Nigerian man died after overdosing on the drug. A number of other individuals have also been hospitalised due to chloroquine posioning. Deaths have also been reported in the United States itself.