Abstract: ORIGINAL ARTICLE European Journal of Medical and Health Sciences www.ejmed.org Ivermectin as Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for COVID-19 among Healthcare Providers in a Selected Tertiary Hospital in Dhaka – An Observational Study Mohammed Tarek Alam, Rubaiul Murshed, Pauline Francisca Gomes, Zafor Md. Masud, Sadia Saber, Mainul Alam Chaklader, Fatema Khanam, Monower Hossain, Abdul Basit Ibne Momen, Naz Yasmin, Rafa Faaria Alam, Amrin Sultana, and Rishad Choudhury Robin ABSTRACT Introduction: While multiple vaccines are undergoing clinical trial across the globe, we yearn for an FDA approved drug to protect us from the devastating pandemic for the time being. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of Ivermectin when administered as pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19. Method: An observational study, with 118 healthcare providers who were enrolled purposively, was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Dhaka from May 2020 to August 2020. The subjects were divided into experimental and control groups; and the experimental group received an oral monthly dose of Ivermectin 12mg for 4 months. Both groups were exposed to COVID-19 positive patients admitted in the hospital during the course of study. The symptomatic subjects were evaluated by physical examination, COVID-19 RT-PCR and/or HRCT of chest. Differences between the variables were determined using the Chi-square test and the level of statistical significance was reached when p<0.05. Result: 73.3% (44 out of 60) subjects in control group were positive for COVID-19, whereas only 6.9% (4 out of 58) of the experimental group were diagnosed with COVID-19 (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion: Ivermectin, an FDA-approved, safe, cheap and widely available drug, should be subjected to large-scale trials all over the world to ascertain its effectiveness as pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19. Keywords: COVID-19, Ivermectin, Prophylaxis, Healthcare worker, Bangladesh. Published Online: December 15, 2020 ISSN: 2593-8339 DOI: 10.24018/ejmed.2020.2.6.599 Mohammed Tarek Alam* Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, Shomman Foundation, Bangladesh. (e-mail: mtarekalam16@gmail.com) Rubaiul Murshed Shomman Foundation, Bangladesh. Pauline Francisca Gomes Shomman Foundation, Bangladesh. Zafor Md. Masud Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, Shomman Foundation, Bangladesh. Sadia Saber Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. Mainul Alam Chaklader Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. Fatema Khanam Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. Monower Hossain Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. Abdul Basit Ibne Momen Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, Shomman Foundation, Bangladesh. Naz Yasmin International Medical College, Bangladesh. Rafa Faaria Alam Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, Shomman Foundation, Bangladesh. Amrin Sultana Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. Rishad Choudhury Robin Shomman Foundation, Bangladesh. *Corresponding Author I. BACKGROUND Submerged in the wave of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the world is weeping. Ever since the outbreak was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China the world has not been the same [1]. An ongoing pandemic, the DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24018/ejmed.2020.2.6.599 COVID-19 has proved to be the most devastating and unmanageable crisis the world has ever encountered. With the virus proudly lurking around in the atmosphere, millions of lives have already been compromised and many more uncountable..