THE USE OF NAPHTHALENE FOR THE TREATMENT OF COVID-19

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) wishes to bring to your notice an audio which has gone viral on social media about the inhalation of vapor from Naphthalene (commonly called Camphor or Mothballs) for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19.

In the said audio, the speaker claimed he was speaking from Amponsah Herbal Centre in Holland and advices the listeners to inhale vapour produced by camphor dissolved in hot water for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19.

The FDA would like to inform Ghanaians that camphor is an insecticide and produces a toxic gas which repels and kills insects.

The vapour produced by camphor in this way elicits a toxic gas which should not be inhaled under any circumstances. When the vapour produced is inhaled, the body breaks it down into other chemicals that react with cells in the body and damage tissues.

This can cause skin and eye irritation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhoea. Other effects of inhalation of the vapour produced by camphor are confusion, excitement, convulsions, severe anaemia and renal shutdown.

The FDA wishes to inform Ghanaians that, there is no such proven treatment for Covid19.

The general public is therefore advised to stay calm and follow the measures announced by the Ministry of Health, which include:

• Frequent washing of hands with soap under running water

• The use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers

• Wear face/nose masks regularly

• Maintaining social distancing

• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth

• Stay home and only go out if absolutely necessary.