Last month, the central government had banned the export of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine along with several other drugs and ingredients.
New Delhi| Indian government has agreed to send hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) tablets to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for treating the patients infected with the novel coronavirus, the Gulf country’s embassy in New Delhi informed.
Last month, the central government had banned the export of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine along with several other drugs and ingredients in light of the disruption in the global supply chain and the drug’s potential to be effective in treating the Covid-19 patients. Although, the ban was later relaxed and India agreed to send the drug to “badly affected” countries.
“The first shipment of medicine, currently on its way to the UAE, includes 5.5 million pills for treatment of patients with COVID-19,” the UAE embassy tweeted late on Saturday.
India has already sent the drug in the past few days to countries including Mauritius and Seychelles.
The hydroxychloroquine drug made to headlines after the US President Donald Trump touted the drug as a potentially effective treatment for the deadly coronavirus. Trump had urged India to lift the ban on the export of the drug. He had also said that there “may be retaliation” if India doesn’t lift the ban.
However, India had lifted the ban after Trump’s remark and supplied the HCQ to the US.
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