Zimbabwean business tycoon says Ivermectin saved his life

West Properties chairman Ken Sharpe on Friday donated US$50,000 to government for the purchase of Ivermectin, saying he and his wife only escaped death thanks to the drug after they contracted the Covid-19 Delta variant.

Speaking during the handover ceremony at State House on Friday, Sharpe said he contracted the virus despite having been vaccinated and observing Covid-19 safety protocols.

"It is a fact that I had been vaccinated and I believe, as you can see, I am a strong man in good health of just under 50 years of age. However, even having observed all the Covid-19 protocols of social distancing, without the assistance of the medicine that I took … I would not be standing here today," he said narrating how he developed aggressive symptoms.

Sharp said Ivermectin was key to his recovery and lamented the inflated price of the drug in pharmacies, saying it could be sourced for cents.

"The medicine that really provided the necessary healing is called Ivermectin which is now registered and approved for use in Zimbabwe. I have also noticed that the retailers in the medical industry are selling these tablets for up to US$6 each.

"However, l have been assured we can buy them for less than 17 cents and therefore with our donation today of US$50,000 we will be able to purchase no less than 297,000 tablets which equates to a value at $6 per tablet of almost $3 million savings for the country from our small donation."

Accepting the donation, President Mnangagwa said: "My Government stands ready to welcome similar support from other corporates, individuals, organisations and development partners as we scale up our fight against the pandemic."

Doctors in Zimbabwe can now prescribe Ivermectin for Covid-19 treatment but only under restrictive clinical trial guidelines by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ).

The guidelines have been criticised as they do not allow doctors to prescribe the drug for prevention despite studies evidencing it as an effective prophylactic.

"Ivermectin works best for prevention and the current MCAZ trial does not allow us to give it for prevention. The next best way to use it is very early on in the infection because if blocks viral replication and prevents patients from developing more serious symptoms," a doctor speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said.

He added that the MCAZ clinical trial guidelines created an administrative burden as each prescription must be accompanied by documentation and follow-ups not required for other medications.

"Most doctors are quietly taking this drug for prevention but nobody can talk about it because some powerful people in the medical field are against it for no apparent reason. It is a very safe drug; you would struggle to commit suicide with it and one wonders why we are being restricted and forced to do all this paperwork. The worst that could happen to you is nothing. We could end Covid-19 and these lockdowns today using this drug as they did in some Indian states."

Last week, exiled former Higher Education deputy minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa accused regulators of 'playing God' by denying the public open access to the medication. His comments followed on former deputy prime minister Professor Arthur Mutambara's June call for widespread use of the drug for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19.