Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles has become an advocate of virgin coconut oil (VCO) as a potential coronavirus treatment as the nation battles the pandemic.
Nograles recently distributed free VCO bottles to three hospitals in Metro Manila for distribution to some patients with mild symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The hospital recipients were Caloocan City Medical Center, San Lorenzo Ruiz Women's Hospital, and Ospital ng Malabon. At least 61 patients confined in these hospitals have reportedly agreed to take VCO on top of COVID-19 treatments.
"The DOST (Department of Science and Technology) has done its due diligence and said that there is enough data to recommend the use of VCO for COVID patients with mild symptoms, which is why I am personally distributing VCO to willing recipients so that we can help them as well as determine how effective it can be against COVID-19," Nograles said in a recent statement.
"At this point, we have to explore possible and potential treatments for COVID-19 –– treatments that are supported by science and pose no threat to the health of the COVID patients," said the co-chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Nograles also pressed for "more remedies, not more speculation" amid the anxiety being felt by coronavirus patients. "Let's explore all safe and science-backed options to beat COVID-19," he added.
Based on the initial study, the DOST reported that patients who regularly took VCO showed “ "diminishing" COVID-19 symptoms in about two weeks. Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said virgin coconut oil could be used as an adjunct supplement to probable and suspect cases of COVID 19 to help prevent symptoms from becoming severe.
More studies however must still be conducted to determine the effectiveness of VCO for patients with comorbidities, according to the DOST.