A WINDHOEK dentist has been released on bail after being charged with unlawfully selling animal medicine claimed to be a treatment for the novel coronavirus disease.
Dentist Moses Aluteni and a co-accused, Bruce Semba, are accused of having contravened the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act of 2003 by selling ten 50-millilitre containers of the veterinary medication ivermax, valued at N$7 000, in Windhoek on Tuesday.
In the charge they are facing in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura, it is stated that if convicted they can in terms of the act be sentenced to a fine of up to N$40 000 or up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Aluteni was not present in court for a first appearance before a magistrate yesterday.
Defence lawyer Ashley Brendell informed magistrate Atutala Shikalepo that Aluteni was absent from court because he is in isolation while awaiting the result of a coronavirus test.
The court was also told that Aluteni (52) and Semba (45) have both been released on bail.
The case was postponed to 28 September for further investigations to be carried out.
Ivermax is a veterinary medicine containing ivermectin and is used to treat animals against parasites.
Ivermectin has been claimed to be effective in treating people with Covid-19, but is not licensed as a medication for human use in Namibia.
A group of Namibian medical doctors requested the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC) four weeks ago to grant emergency use approval for ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19 patients.
The NMRC stated in January, and again in June, that from current data no clear conclusion could be drawn about the effectiveness and safety of ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a statement at the end of March that current evidence on the use of ivermectin to treat Covid-19 patients was “inconclusive”, and that until more data is available, the WHO is recommending that ivermectin should only be used in clinical trials, according to Namibia Fact Check.
In South Africa, ivermectin has been approved “for controlled human use”, and a court in April ordered that registered pharmacists and medical doctors should be allowed to prepare and sell medication containing ivermectin.
However, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority in a report published in June also noted that current evidence on the use of ivermectin for the treatment of Covid-19 “does not suggest any clear benefits with respect to mortality, clinical improvement, or viral clearance”, Namibia Fact Check noted on its website yesterday.
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