Dexamethasone; first effective treatment in Covid-19 patients

Doctors confirm that dexamethasone, an inexpensive and affordable medicine, can reduce the death risk in critical Covid-19, but it cannot eradicate the Coronavirus.

British researchers have found that small doses of dexamethasone can save patients in critical condition who cannot breathe without aid oxygen.

Dexamethasone can settle the inflammation, increase the level of vitamin A that helps treat Coronavirus and increase blood flow to the capillaries of lungs.

But the overdose or unnecessary use of the drug has side effects too.

“It will enhance diabetes, aggravate osteoporosis, weaken the patient, and damage the immune system,” said Mohammad Nabil Faqiryar, head of the general ward at Herat District Hospital.

Doctors say that no one should use dexamethasone without a doctor’s prescription, and on the other hand, the use of this drug is not necessarily used for Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms or patients who are self-medicating at home.

“It can only bring the immune system in control there is in a critical state. It is highly recommended for those in dire conditions,” said Assadullah Zharfbin, a doctor.

Doctors underline that dexamethasone reduces Coronavirus death rate from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent, but cannot eradicate the virus in any way.

On the other hand, after the Ministry of Health authorized the treatment of patients with Covid-19 in private hospitals, citizens are now complaining about the high cost of treatment in these hospitals.

Families of patients with the Coronavirus have also blamed the Ministry of Public Health for being poorly planned in managing the Coronavirus, saying the lack of health services and oxygen has led to huge costs to save their patients’ lives.

But the Ministry of Health says it is doing everything in its power to treat patients with Covid-19 and gain the citizens’ trust.

Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours, 564 new cases of the Coronavirus have been registered by the Ministry of Health.

The total number of Covid-19 patients in Afghanistan is now 26,874, with 504 deaths and 6,158 recoveries.