KABUL (Pajhwok): Medical experts consider articles published on some websites about the effectiveness of scorpion venom for the treatment of coronavirus as misleading and ask the publishers not to confuse people by spreading such rumors.
A number of news websites have published articles that the venom of scorpions is effective in treatment of coronavirus.
The Independent Fars News published a report titled: “Scorpion venom can be effective against the new variant of Covid-19”.
The report said that scientists had found that the venom of scorpions could be effective in the treatment of coronavirus.
According to the source, scorpion venom is used in medicines around the world. But currently, the researchers at the University of Aberdeen have found that the venom of scorpion would be able to fight coronavirus.
For this research, the venom of scorpions of the Egyptian desert was milked and then the animals were released into their natural habitats.
Meanwhile, the Young Reporters Club News also published a report quoting the Independent, as saying: “Researchers in their latest studies have found as effective scorpion venom for the treatment of coronavirus.”
Etimad-i-Online News also published a similar report in this regard. It said that a group of researchers in Scotland had discovered that the venom of scorpion, commonly used in a variety of medicines, could also be effective in fighting coronavirus.
Economic Online News also published an article: “Is venom of scorpion effective in the treatment of coronavirus?”
Madina, a resident of 500-family of Khairkhana area of Kabul, told Pajhwok Afghan News: “In last winter my grandmother contracted coronavirus, so my brother had read on the internet that the venom of the scorpion is beneficial for Covid patients and we searched for it but could not find.”
She said instead of scorpion venom they used ginger and honey.
Is scorpion venom really effective against Covid, what doctors’ say?
Dr. Tariq Ahmad Akbari, director of Afghan-Japan hospital, told Pajhwok that the effectiveness of the scorpion venom in treatment of Covid was untrue and rumor.
He said: “This is a rumor like the medicines of Hakim Alokozai and it is not true.”
He believed that the publication of such articles caused confusion, misguidance and misleading people and it must be prevented.
Dr. Tariq urged citizens not to believe in rumors which had no scientific basis and were untrue, and strictly follow the health guidelines such as social distancing, wearing a mask, and washing hands frequently.
He also emphasized the need to get vaccinated, saying that no medicine other than the vaccine had been discovered to fight the virus.
“As long as any information is provided by the Ministry of Public Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), they should not listen to rumors.”
Dr. Hashmatullah Faizi, ICU professional at the Afghan-Japan Hospital, told Pajhwok that it was not true that the venom of scorpions was effective in the treatment of Covid.
He said that the venom was useful in boosting a person’s immunity, but it did not treat Covid.
He called on these websites not to spread rumors because by doing so they could mislead people and would have negative consequences.
He added that the scorpion venom could be used in making medicines, but using it directly would be very harmful.
Meanwhile, Dr. Javed Hajir, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, told Pajhwok Afghan News that research had shown that scorpion venom was used to make medicine for cancer, rheumatism, and vascular transplants.
“I completely reject the effectiveness of scorpion venom against coronavirus, and no detailed research had been conducted on it and no health organization has confirmed that this venom is beneficial for the Covid.”
He stressed the need to focus on vaccines and everyone should get the Anti-Covid vaccine.
sa/ma
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