India has enough Hydroxychloroquine says govt and specifies who can use it
Government has warned people against indiscriminate use of Hydroxychloroquine due to fear of coronavirus.
Government has warned against self-medication using anti-malarial drug Hydroxychloroquine which has been used in some countries including the USA for treatment of Covid-19 cases in special instances and added that it can prove harmful for cardiac patients.
The warning was given out during the daily joint press briefing by the officials of health and home ministry on Wednesday. The health ministry official stated that the anti-malarial drug was meant for use only by medical practitioners exposed to the infection and by the contacts of positive patients. It added that the drug was to be administered only on medical advice.
There have been reports that people were indulging in panic buying of Hydroxychloroquine in the belief that it could act as a vaccine to safeguard against the infection. The government warned against its indiscriminate use.
“Hydroxychloroquine must be used as per particular norms. Hydroxychloroquine is only for contacts (of positive patients) and for doctors who are dealing with positive patients, the protocol related to this disease must be followed,” said Luv Agarwal, joint secretary, health ministry.
He added that the drug, if used without expert medical advise, could end up harming people with heart condition.
“This disease can also be harmful to patients suffering from cardiac irregularities and cardiac diseases. Every medicine has some side effects, therefore, only those who fall in a particular category should be given this medicine,” he added.
The health ministry official also assured that the Centre had enough stock of the medicine and there was no need to worry. India is the biggest manufacturer of the medicine and it recently sent its supplies to friendly countries like the United States and Brazil after lifting the restrictions on its export.
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“We have sufficient quantity of the medicine, we have more than what is required today and there is a plan in place to ensure its availability in the future even if the requirement rise,” Agarwal added.
Hydroxychloroquine is used to prevent or treat malaria among other diseases and the US drug department has cleared its “sympathetic” use for the treatment of coronavirus cases after it was reported to have given positive results in reducing the severity of the disease.
The medicine also shot into the limelight after US President Donald Trump was heard saying he could consider retaliating against New Delhi if Washington’s request for supply of the medicine went unheeded.
India later supplied the medicine to US and Brazil after lifting the hold order on Tuesday, a move that was met with appreciation by leaders of both countries.
