A Portland-based anesthesiologist, Dr Samuel Kojo Amoakohene has dismissed suggestions that hydrogen peroxide can be used to prevent or treat Covid-19.

He advised people to rather use halodine also known as povidone-iodine which is better for Covid-19 prevention or treatment.

Dr Kojo Amoakohene told host of JoyNews' Newsfile host, Samson Lardy Anyenini, that the use of halodine according to a study has proven safe for use.

According to him, an experiment undertaken by his team to test the efficacy of the product has proven safe and efficient with no side effects.

"A study came from France to demonstrate that Covid-19 patients that use halodine after they are cleared out all the virus from their system. 

"For those who used halodine, it was two times more effective than for those who did not use it but were asked to go home and isolate with the hope of getting better,'' he stated.

He explained that hydrogen peroxide is harmful to the human immune system as it's known to cause cancer.

"One of the first defense for our immune system is our respiratory system. Coronavirus dominantly affect our nose, eyes and it touches your lungs and it burns it up.

"Taking a product like hydrogen peroxide that has been known to sometimes cause cancer and you put that in your nose, it is going to destroy your first defence of mechanism fighting anything," he stated.

Dr. Samuel Amoakohene expressed his unhappiness towards the loss of lives due to Covid-19 in Africa.

"From where I sit as an anesthesiologist, I witness so many people die and I still see it unfortunately. My heart is aching.

"We cannot afford to do things like people in the west do. Simply because they have the power and capacity that we don’t have and that is why we have to think outside the box," he added.