Punjab: Frontline staff, including docs, wary of state directive on taking HCQ dose

No study proves that this anti-malarial drug, Hydroxychloroquine, can work, claim associations of doctors; on April 7, the Punjab health department had directed civil surgeons to ask staff on frontline duty to have its dose

Most doctors, para-medicos and other ground-level health staff in the state, engaged in the frontlines of battling the corona pandemic, have rejected a Punjab health department directive that asks them to take a dose of anti-malarial drug, Hydroxychloroquine. The medicine is supposed to act as prophylactic (preventive measure) against covid-19.

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“As there are no strong studies or proofs that HCQ has prophylactic benefits, we are advising our colleagues and staff not to take it. It is causing trouble in some heart conditions and exacerbating some ailments, so if any healthcare worker associated with us wants to have it for prophylaxis, we are discouraging them, or they can have at their own risk,” said Dr Aslum Parvez, state president, Rural Medical Services Association, Punjab.

On April 7, Punjab director for health and family welfare Dr Avneet Kaur sent a directive to all civil surgeons on the use of HCQ. This letter cites an advisory from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). This advisory, ironically, mandates that HCQ is to taken only after consulting a physician.

According to the advisory, asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in the care of suspected or confirmed cases of covid-19, should take a 400mg tablet twice on Day 1; followed by a 400mg tablet once a week for the next seven weeks, with meals.

“For asymptomatic household contacts of laboratory confirmed cases, the dose should be a 400 mg tablet, twice on Day 1, followed by 400 mg once weekly for next three weeks,” the ICMR advisory adds.

State Punjab Civil Medical Service (PCMS) association president Dr Gagandeep Singh said they remained apprehensive. “There is confusion, so we have asked fellow doctors and staff to consume the HCQ at their own risk.” He added that the majority of PCMS doctors were not taking any HCQ dose.

A doctor, not wishing to be quoted, claimed that a journal in England had published a study that negated the role of HCQ in covid-19 positive patients.

“The ICMR has already said that it has launched a study to know the side-effects of HCQ using data of healthcare workers taking the medicine. So, it appears that the recommendation to us, without the backing of any study, is part of that experiment being done, at the expense of healthcare workers,” a doctor posted in Barnala claimed.

“We issued our directive for frontline staff based on an ICMR advisory. To date, the department has not received

any representation from doctors and other staff on their apprehensions on the use of HCQ,” director, health, Dr Avneet Kaur said.