The use of antiviral medication remdesivir to treat on COVID-19 patients in Guyana has started as part of the World Health Organization’s Solidarity trial and Head of Medical Services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Dr Mahendra Carpen has said the results have been promising.
Dr Carpen, a cardiologist who is leading the solidarity trial in Guyana to find suitable treatments for COVID-19 patients, told this newspaper that around 10 patients have been treated with the drug so far. “I know for sure three patients on which it was used did not need further oxygen and were able to breathe on their own and maintain good oxygen saturation and that is a decent positive outcome with this medication” he disclosed.
The drug, which has been around for quite some time, was first touted as a potential treatment for the Ebola disease but did not show much promise. “But now with the COVID-19 pandemic they decided to give it a try and early indicators were encouraging for the patients who were given this drug” Dr Carpen explained.
