India sends 5.5 million hydroxychloroquine tablets to UAE
The UAE is one of the countries battling the Covid-19 pandemic, with 6302 cases reported till now
By IAR Desk
India has agreed to send 5.5 million tablets of hydroxychloroquine to the United Arab Emirates. Hydroxychloroquine is the drug that is increasingly being used in the treatment of Covid-19 positive cases and is in high demand.
Hydroxychloroquine has been identified by the US Food and Drug Administration as a possible treatment for the COVID-19 and it is being tested on more than 1,500 coronavirus patients in New York. India has lifted a ban on the export of the drug and has committed to providing hydroxychloroquine to 55 coronavirus-hit countries as grants as well as on commercial basis.
The first consignment has already reached the UAE. “Under guidance of UAE leadership, @UAEembassyIndia succeeded in obtaining the approval of the Indian government to export adequate quantities of #Hydroxychloroquine to UAE, ” the UAE Embassy in New Delhi tweeted. “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 .”
India’s Ambassador to the UAE Mr. Pawan Kapoor had earlier said that the UAE had requested for India to speed up supplies. The UAE is one of the countries battling the Covid-19 pandemic. It has reported 6302 cases of Covid-19.
“A few companies here had made the request to import the drug to the UAE. We received a note verbale from the UAE government also seeking support for the supply through those companies,” the Ambassador had been quoted by media in both UAE and India as saying.
The UAE hosts a 3.5 million strong Indian diaspora. Most of them have remained there in the wake of the pandemic. Some Indians working or travelling there have made a request to be brought back home to India. However, in the wake of the nation-wide lockdown imposed in India till May 3, repatriation may be delayed.
At least 20-25 per cent of the Covid-19 positive cases in the country are estimated to be Indians.
The total number of Covid-19 positive cases recorded in the Middle East is 153, 822
India has already sent a rapid response team and hydroxychloroquine pills to Kuwait and Israel in the region.
