India sends first shipment of 5.5 million tablets of hydroxychloroquine to UAE, another consignment enroute to Nepal

New Delhi: The first shipment of medical equipment, carrying 5.5 million tablets of hydroxychloroquine - an anti-malarial drug identified by the US Food and Drug Administration as a possible treatment for the COVID-19 - is currently on its way to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from India and will reach its destination soon. [caption id=“attachment_8276031” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] “Under guidance of UAE leadership, @UAEembassyIndia succeeded in obtaining the approval of the Indian government to export adequate quantities of #Hydroxychloroquine to UAE,” the Emirates’ Mission in New Delhi said on its Twitter page. “The first shipment of medicine, currently on its way to the #UAE, includes 5.5 million pills for treatment of patients with #Covid_19. We highly appreciate the cooperation of the Indian government in facilitating the procedures for obtaining the necessary approvals,” it said further. India, the major producer of hydroxychloroquine, has promised to supply the drug to 55 countries, including Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar as well. The medication which is being used in COVID-19 therapy has already reached the United States, Afghanistan, Mauritius, Kazakhstan, Brazil, and Seychelles. Another consignment of hydroxychloroquine is also on the way to Nepal. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had said that the government has more than enough stock of HCQ for meeting the current requirement. It had said that the Centre has done proper preparation and planning with respect to current and future requirements of the drug.