After I left the isolation centre last year, I shared my experience and treatment with the public. This was in spite of the fact that at that time some veiled stigma was associated with being infected with COVID-19.
The NCDC came out publicly to warn me for discussing my experience especially my treatment publicly. I took everything calmly.
When the second wave came and friends, associates and people in general were being killed by COVID in an alarming rate, it became frightening, worrisome and almost perplexing.
I had been aware of the strange but scientifically proven effectiveness of IVERMECTIN. When I was not turning negative after 19 days in isolation and I was asymptomatic I was given ivermectin and I turned negative in 48 hours.
This prompted me as a doctor to dig deeper and read more about this medicine. I followed and read various research and studies going on on ivermectin. Before the second wave hit Nigeria there was an avalanche of clinical evidence that the breakthrough, apart from vaccines in the management of COVID-19, had finally arrived.
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When deaths came in droves in the wake of the second wave, and no official statements were coming from anywhere to acquaint the populace at least to explore the option this drug provided, I decided to go public with the conviction I had and wrote on my Facebook page the usefulness and potential of ivermectin to assist and improve survival chances in COVID-19 infection.
I published a document containing prescription for the use of Ivermectin, circulated globally by an international agency called FCCCL AGENCY. I received a warning and threat of sanction from Facebook management describing my publication as offensive and harmful and against communal safety and interest.
For me it was more important to try every possible thing that improves chances of survival in the face of this deadly and terrifying global pandemic.
I am trained to forsake all including personal safety and wellbeing to save lives. If the Facebook decides to remove my page, so be it. For me humanity has been served. And I am vindicated by the fact that today, America, UK and countries in Europe and Australia have all publicly declared the usefulness of ivermectin and it’s being included everywhere in the official protocol list of treatment for COVID-19.
Glory be to God Almighty who has shown mercy on humanity and has given us a lifeline against this scourge especially for poor African countries that cannot afford the vaccines.
*Okupe is a former presidential aide, medical doctor and COVID-19 survivor