On Monday, the Telangana government had started to administer hydroxychloroquine tablets to doctors. This drug is used to treat malaria and is given to hundreds of doctors and healthcare workers who are treating coronavirus patients as a precautionary measure. The decision has been taken after 4 health workers at the International Airport screening desk were tested positive for COVID-19.

Many instances had happened where several people with COVID-19 symptoms went to private hospitals, but did not disclose their travel history, which also includes a 74-year-old man who died because of the coronavirus.

A senior government official said that the Indian Council of Medical Research has allowed the use of hydroxychloroquine for people who are at risk, which includes health workers and asymptomatic persons, who are primary contacts of coronavirus patients.

However, the Centre and state governments are discouraging common people from consuming this drug without medical advice. The state is buying hydroxychloroquine tablets from Gujarat and other states, as there is only one manufacturer of it in their state.

A pharma firm has supplied over one lakh tablets to the state under CSR, and 90,000 drugs were bought from the pharma retailers in the city.

Source: ET Healthworld