Brazilian doctors in dispute over COVID-19 treatment, pressured to prescribe unproven drug

Doctors in Brazil are being pressured to prescribe drugs to coronavirus patients that are still unproven and has no bases that they can treat the disease. According to reports, there is a split in the country over a particular anti-malarial drug - hydroxychloroquine, which some say can be given to COVID-19 patients, while others refrain citing lack of efficacy and safety. The split between doctors grew even deeper as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro recently released a video, where he can be seen popping a pill claiming it to be hydroxychloroquine and also encouraging others to do so. Bolsonaro was earlier this month diagnosed with COVID-19. 

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Bolsonaro has been for the past few months encouraging doctors to prescribe the drug despite global health experts asking carers to do otherwise. Now, doctors in Brazil are disputing over whether they should prescribe the anti-malarial drug to COVID-19 patients or not. Meanwhile, some doctors are reportedly arguing with their patients who themselves are asking them to prescribe the drug.   

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Second worst-hit nation

Brazil, the world's second-most badly affected country by coronavirus pandemic is also struggling to accommodate the growing number of patients in hospitals. According to reports, public hospitals across the nation are lacking basic medical equipment hence posing a threat to the health of the people. Many hospitals in Brazil have no intensive care units (ICU) for patients severely ill by the disease and who need immediate assistance. According to the Brazilian health ministry, the disease is currently present in 97.4% of municipalities across the country. 

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According to the ministry, Brazil has recorded 24,83,191 confirmed cases of the disease, with 40,816 registered in national systems on July 28, which experts believe to be much higher because of inadequate testing. Regarding deaths, Brazil has 88,539 deaths from coronavirus with 921 deaths registered in the official systems on July 28. According to figures by Johns Hopkins University, the United States remains the worst-hit nation in the world with 4.3 million cases and at least 1,49,000 deaths as of July 28. Meanwhile, the world has recorded 16.7 million confirmed infections and over 6,59,000 deaths to date. 

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