Bihar: Hydroxychloroquine effective in treatment of Covid-19, says expert

BHAGALPUR: Dr Raj Kamal Choudhury of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH), who had also worked in the World Health Organization (WHO) as sub-regional coordinator, has asserted that anti-malarial medicine—hydroxychloroquine— is very effective in the treatment of Covid-19 patients and as prophylaxis in suspected cases.
JLNMCH is one of the collaborating hospitals invited by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Rational Use of Medication Centres (RUMC) along with IGIMS (Patna), whereas St John’s Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore, is the coordinating institution of ICMR-RUMC network among the 15 principal investigators (PIs).
Associate professor in the department of medicine at JLNMCH, Dr Choudhary said that clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in more than 60 Corona positive besides as prophylaxis (preventive treatment measures taken to fend-off diseases) in more than 350 corona suspected patients, attending doctors, paramedical staff and healthcare workers at the isolation wards of JLNMCH have yielded wonderful results.
“The only aspect that has to be taken care of are some side effects of HCQ, a medicine used to prevent and treat malaria in India since long besides others diseases, on patients having heart ailments,” added Dr Choudhary.
It may mentioned here that the medicine gained prominence when USA and other countries requested India to send HCQ tablets.
Talking to this newspaper Dr Choudhary said that ICMR has categorically stated on May 25 that no major side effects of HCQ have been found so far and its use should be continued in preventive treatment for Covid-19. Similarly, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has also supported the ICMR suggestions.