Maximum Tk90 for Covid-19 treatment: Dr. Tarek Alam

The medicine of head lice and scabies is primarily effective for the treatment of coronavirus. A local doctor in the country has used the medicine after some Australian doctors found positive report applying it on living cells of rats. Using it, he has got successes also in Dhaka.

However, the medicine is not tested yet on critical patients in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). But, other patients were cured within three to four days following the medication. If the critical patients recover getting the medicine then all coronavirus can be treated by paying only Tk80 to Tk90 maximum.

Talking to this reporter, the professor Tarek Alam, a specialized doctor of Bangladesh Medical College Hospital said, “On April 2, Australia’s Monash University Pharmacy Department released a research in this regard. They have conducted a test applying the medicine on rat cells which we use in the treatment of scabies or louse. According to that report, the virus number were reduced by 4,000 to 5,000 within 24 hours following the drugs. Basically, this medicine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for past 40 years.”

He said, noticing it, I started planning to use it in Bangladesh. As Bangladesh Medical College Hospital is a non Covid-19 hospital so there was no chance to test the medicine. But, suddenly some of our doctors became coronavirus positive. Most probably, some Covid-19 patients had got admitted in the hiding the virus infection information. Although the virus infected doctors had no symptom of Covid-19 decease.

Then, we provided two advices to our infected doctors. Hydroxyzine and Azithromycin which are being used as the treatment of Covid-19. As there is no medicine of Covid-19 so we told them if they want they can take those. At last, the infected persons agreed with us and they decided to take the medication. They were given Doxycycline and Ivarmectin doses. Finally their coronavirus report came negative within four days. Even, there was no side effect.

Professor Tarek Alam said, “Later, some of our nurses became coronavirus positive. Though the doctors had no symptom but the nurses showed some mild symptoms. We instantly advised them to take treatment in Covid-19 hospitals due to the symptoms. But, they refused to do so. They showed interests to take those previously used medicines. Then again we started treatment with Doxycycline and Ivarmectin alongside with the medicine of diarrhea, fever and cough. Ultimately, 50 percent symptoms of Covid-19 went vanished within 48 hours. Lose motion, cough and fever  of them came under control. We are still waiting to do more tests. Further tests will be done soon.”

Tarek Alam again said, “Besides, some of our students from Lalbagh, Mohammadpur, hotspots of the virus, informed us about more corona patients. Of them, two persons were reported corona positive and refused to go Covid-19 hospitals fearing many issues. Later, they were given the same medicines. Similarly, we treated 60-65 patients with these drugs.”

“You know how much tough to do coronavirus test in this pandemic situation here in our country. After so many efforts, we have managed to get 40 coronavirus tests within 7 to 10 days. Finally, the reports came negative and all the patients are doing fine now.”

Following the coronavirus medicine doses, the researcher said, “Paracetamol, cough syrup and other medicines were needed as usual. Besides, the two medicines were prescribed. The only dose of Ivarmectin medicine was given on the very first day and Doxycycline for ten days.”

“The medicine has some good antiviral property. It was used during SARS outbreak. Even, it is used in the treatment of dengue.”

“Actually we could not use the medicine on critical patients or ICU patients. But, the government hospitals started using Ivarmectin to treat coronavirus infected patients. Similarly, private hospitals like Apollo, Uninted hospitals also have started the use already. We had started first then, others are following the same method now.”

Mentioning the zero side effect of the medicine, he said, anyone can take the drugs except pregnant women and 15 kilograms below weight persons. Interestingly, the expense of the medicine is too low. If it works on all kinds of people then the treatment cost would be Tk80 to Tk90 only.

In reply to another question, Doctor Tarek Alam said, those who wants to do argument they can say 80 of 100 persons recover and 20 persons face sever crisis from Covid-19. That means- that 80 persons are being sent to home isolation. On the other hand, those who are infected but not staying at home avoiding doctor’s directions. They are going outside and spreading the disease continuously. If you can’t stop this kinds of spread how you expect control of the virus?

He again said, “National Professor Dr Anisuzzaman passed away. He used to stay at home. Professor Mokarrim also died from Covid-19. They both were stayed at home. In this regard, I think we should do the study deeply. In this case Dhaka Medical College Hospital would be a large option. Then, case study can be done at Mugdha General Hospital and Kurmitola Hospital. I could not do study about it. I am talking about findings only.”

Basically, I provided the medication on the basis of humanitarian issue. I advised those patients to go to hospital if problem arises. But, thanks to almighty, no one needed to go hospital. All of them were cured staying at home.

Regarding serious illness of patients, the doctor said, “We got positive result within one or two days. Of them, two patients came to us after seven days of infection. They had sever cough and 105 degree fever. But, they were also cured at last.

About the recommendation, he said, trial will be done officially. It is not possible for me to do so much. But, my recommendation is – as this medicine has no side effect and the patients are not maintaining quarantine properly so Covid-19 positive patients should be prescribed the drugs. At least, 500 patients can be tested after giving the medicine. Then, just wait for the result. If the result becomes satisfactory then the authority can follow it widely.


Dhaka/Arif Shaon/Nasim