The HCQ, termed as a game-changer drug by India, will be provided to 13 countries. The countries are listed here:
India has cleared the first list of 13 countries who will get the hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) drug, with the neighbouring nations in the subcontinent getting the priority. India will be giving hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol to 25 countries. India has given approval for export of 14 million tablets of Hydroxychloroquine.
The HCQ, termed as a game-changer drug by India, will be provided to 13 countries, which are--the United States, two from Europe -- Spain and Germany, two from South America -- the Dominican Republic and Brazil, one from West Asia -- Bahrain, and five from the neighbourhood -- Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives, and Bangladesh.
Speaking at the daily press briefing of the central government, Dammu Ravi, the Ministry of External Affair (MEA)'s nodal person for COVID-19, said, "HCQ is in high demand globally. Lots of requests for HCQ are already there, several countries have made the request, taking in view the domestic requirements and domestic stock availability. The decision was taken by a group of the ministers to release surplus medicine for export purposes. The first list of countries have been approved and products have started to leave, work is currently being done on the second and third lists."
India is providing humanitarian aid like pharmaceuticals (HCQ and paracetamol) to SAARC nations, as well as to Indian Ocean countries like Mauritius and Seychelles. Additionally, India is also providing humanitarian aid to countries in Africa and Latin America. Outside of these regions, New Delhi is currently processing requests for medicines from countries based on availability and would be supplying them on a commercial basis.
Asked about the criteria that India is following for countries, Mr Ravi said, "For HCQ, we analysed the request made by several countries. Sometimes, the demand can be very high, so we needed to rationalise. This drug is under high demand and all countries impacted by COVID-19 are asking for it. So it was based on an internal discussion and in consultation with the departments of pharmaceuticals, health, and various others in the empowered committee."
He explained, "It is a first-come, first-serve basis, but the neighbourhood is very important, countries are very vulnerable right now. So we went through the process of making the assessment of who would need the drugs first. It is an ongoing process. We are doing it in a balanced manner and rationalising demands of various countries."
While HCQ remains on the banned list of export products, India is giving the drug only on licence both for export and aid. India needs one crore HCQ tablets, and currently has 3.28 crore tablets and 1-2 crore more tablets can be produced. Indian authorities have allowed the use of HCQ for frontline workers only and under the prescription of a medical physician.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been personally approached by world leaders for the HCQ drug. On Friday, Modi spoke to Shinzo Abe and KP Sharma Oli, his counterparts in Japan and Nepal, respectively. Three world leaders - US President Donald Trump, Brazil's President Jair M Bolsonaro and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have also personally thanked Prime Minister Modi and the people of India on Twitter.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Representational Photo")
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}