Twitter bashes Doyin Okupe for sharing coronavirus drugs

Doyin Okupe, who has served two presidents since Nigeria’s return to democratic governance in 1999, has been roundly criticized on social media platform, Twitter, for sharing the cocktail of drugs that saw him through his coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

Okupe was Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Media and Publicity and Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs.

On May 12, Okupe announced that he had just emerged from hospital where he had been treated for COVID-19.

“On the 23rd of April my wife Aduralere and I tested positive for COVID-19. To the Glory of God we were discharged this morning after obtaining two negative reports. I thank Almighty God for His Mercies. I thank Governor Dapo Abiodun (of Ogun state), the Hon Commissioner of Health Dr Coker and staff of the center," he wrote.

A day later, Okupe, a medical doctor, revealed the cocktail of drugs that saw him through his spell at a COVID-19 isolation center.

“My medications for Covid-19. Hydroxychloroquine 400mg 2ce dly for 2days then 400mg dly for 3days. Azithromycin 500mg dly. Zinc sulphate 100mg dly . VitzC 1200mg dly . I also supported it with a mixture of ginger, garlic, turmeric and lemon. In Kaduna, they added dongoyaro leaves,” he tweeted.

With no vaccine or clinically approved medication for COVID-19 globally just yet, Okupe has been bashed all day long by social media users who say his tweet could lead to drug abuse and self-medication.

See some of the tweets below:

However, some Twitter users threw their support behind the former presidency spokesperson:

Okupe is not the first member of Nigeria's political elite to go public with how they survived COVID-19. In April, Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed who had been diagnosed with the virus, disclosed that he had been treated with Chloroquine--a drug whose potency on COVID-19 continues to divide opinions since it was first touted by U.S. President Donald Trump.

What do you make of Okupe's decision to go public with the cocktail of drugs that saved his life?