Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with PM Narendra Modi in Hyderabad House in November 2019 | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with PM Narendra Modi in Hyderabad House in November 2019 | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
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New Delhi: India has sent a 10-tonne consignment of essential life-saving medicines, including hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and paracetamol, to Sri Lanka in view of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, less than 24 hours after it partially lifted the ban on the export of the two drugs.

According to sources, the consignment was sent to Colombo Tuesday by an Air India special charter flight. It was sent as a donation under the SAARC framework. However, the decision to send the consignment was made before the partial lifting of the ban.

“This is yet another manifestation of India’s unwavering commitment to stand with Sri Lanka, in rain and in shine. Despite its own domestic challenges and constraints, India has always believed in sharing its resources and expertise with its friends and partners,” said a statement issued by the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka.

Earlier in the day, the central government decided to export HCQ and paracetamol on a case-to-case basis after assessing the domestic requirement. The two drugs continue to remain on the restricted list of items to export, owing to the high global demand.

A few clinical trials have shown limited success of hydroxychloroquine in treating the Covid-19 infection. Since paracetamol is prescribed for relief from pain and to reduce fever, this drug can help alleviate some symptoms of the coronavirus disease.

Apart from SAARC countries, the US and other European countries have also sought the supply of HCQ and paracetamol from India, which remains ahead in the manufacturing of these drugs.

India’s SAARC initiative

In a post on Twitter, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the “warm gesture” and said the “kind & generous support” is appreciated.

Apart from Sri Lanka, other SAARC countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan have also sought a supply of these medicines and other supplies from India.

Last month, PM Modi had sprung a diplomatic surprise by reaching out to the eight-nation grouping and urging its leaders to come together to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

“I would like to propose that the leadership of SAARC nations chalk out a strong strategy to fight Coronavirus. We could discuss, via video conferencing, ways to keep our citizens healthy. Together, we can set an example to the world, and contribute to a healthier planet,” he had tweeted on 13 March.

Two days later, the video conference was held, during which India pledged $10 million to the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund. Sri Lanka has also contributed $5 million into the fund.

Subsequently, a video conference of health professionals in SAARC countries was held on 26 March.

India’s health ministry also started offering online training sessions for health professionals in these countries. The SAARC Disaster Management Centre situated in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has also developed a dedicated webpage pertaining to the COVID-19 situation in SAARC Member States.

 

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