The Rajasthan government has returned the entire stock of hydroxychloroquine 300 mg tablets and 25% of hydroxychloroquine 200/400 mg tablets to the private firms from which it had acquired the medicine for managing the novel coronavirus infected patients. The anti-malaria drug is considered useful for the treatment of COVID-19 and some other conditions.
After the State government acquired the medicines from the clearing and forwarding agents, distributors, stockists, wholesalers and retailers in March-end, a shortage of the drug’s availability in the market had caused inconvenience to patients of rheumatoid arthritis and some other diseases.
Additional Chief Secretary (Medical & Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said here on Wednesday that these medicines would be available only on medical prescription and that the Drug Controllers would take action to prevent their black marketing and profiteering.
The notification for acquiring hydroxychloroquine 200/300/400 mg tablets from private firms was earlier issued under the provisions of the Rajasthan Epidemic Diseases Act, 1957, for treatment of COVID-19 patients and for controlling the novel coronavirus infection.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the decision to allow the export of hydroxychloroquine. Citing “national interest” as the reason for his plea, Mr. Gehlot said the medicine was proving to be vital in the treatment of COVID-19 in the country.
The Chief Minister said Mr. Modi should explain to the country as to why a decision had still not been taken to discontinue the export of hydroxychloroquine tablets. “With the number of cases rising, they may not be available in surplus in future. The export of essential drugs may create panic during the pandemic,” he tweeted.