A Nigerian-born American doctor and pastor, Dr. Stella Emmanuel has accused the media and big pharmaceutical companies in the United States of orchestrating a campaign against the efficacy of anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19.
Emmanuel, who is a successful physician with an active staffed practice in Houston, Texas, levelled the allegations in a video that has gone viral.
She spoke on Monday in Washington DC during a news conference that was part of an event organised by a group of American doctors under the aegis of “America’s Frontline Doctors”.
The doctors said that they put together the two-day “White Coat Summit” to challenge the “massive disinformation campaign” surrounding the virus.
She stated that as a doctor in the frontline of COVID-19 response she had successfully treated no fewer than 350 patients with a combination of hydroxychloroquine, zinc and Zithromax without a single fatality.
According to her, some of the patients had underlying conditions like hypertension, asthma and diabetes and some of them were in their 80s and 90s.
The doctor said she equally used and recommended hydroxychloroquine for her staff and many other doctors.
She alleged that some unnamed forces had threatened to have her practice permit revoked but she would continue to administer the drugs as a cure and for prevention.
Emmanuel’s assertions back up claims by President Donald Trump who had for months touted hydroxychloroquine as a “wonder drug” for the treatment of the deadly virus.
In a July 17 tweet, she stated: “I refuse to be chained by fake science. I have successfully treated over 250 COVID patients with HCQ (hydrochloroquine), zpack (Zithromax) and zinc. No deaths. All these double blinded studies sponsored by big Phama is fake science.”
During Monday’s appearance, the doctor reiterated her claim that those spreading false information that hydroxychloroquine is ineffective in the treatment of COVID-19 were sponsored by “fake pharma companies” and assisted by “fake science”.
“I want to know who is sponsoring that study; I want to know who is behind it,” she said.
“For the past few months, after taking care of over 350 patients, we’ve not lost one. Not a diabetic, not somebody with high blood pressure, not somebody who asthma, not an old person.
“We’ve not lost one patient. And on top of that, I’ve put myself, my staff, and many doctors that I know on hydroxychloroquine for prevention, because by the very mechanism of action, it works early and as a prophylaxis.
“I know you’re going to tell me that you treated 20 people, 40 people, and it didn’t work. I’m a true testimony.”
Emmanuel further alleged that many ER doctors in Texas were scared of prescribing the drug because of backlash from regulatory authorities.
“I have gotten all kinds of threats: they’re going to report me to the boards. I say, ‘You know what, I don’t care! I am not going to let Americans die, and if this is the hill that I get nailed on, I will get nailed on it. I don’t care.’
“You can report me to the boards, you can kill me, you can do whatever, but I’m not going to let Americans die.”
She added, “So I came here to Washington DC to tell America nobody needs to get sick. This virus has a cure. It is called hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and Zithromax.
“I know they don’t want to open schools. No, you don’t need people to be locked down. There is prevention and there is a cure.”
Emmanuel is a spiritual daughter of General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr. D.K. Olukoya, and runs Fire Power Ministries located in Katy, Texas.
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