Provide Real-Time Data On Availability, Use of HCQ, Health Ministry Tells States, UTs

The highest recovery rate of 100 per cent has been recorded in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and in Mizoram. 

NEW DELHI: The Union Health Ministry has directed all States and Union Territories (UTs) to update the availability and consumption of hydroxychloroquine or HCQ tablets on the national Covid-19 portal as real-time data.

The Ministry said that this will help it to chalk out a further action plan and to provide more HCQ tablets to the States and UTs when it is required.

In a letter to all states and UTs, a senior official said: “I would like to bring to your notice that a number of states/UTs are not filling/updating the data of HCQ on the national Covid19 portal as the real-time data. I would request you to please get the data of availability and consumption of HCQ as this will help to chalk out a further action plan and also to make available more HCQ tablets to the states/ UTs when it is required.”

The Health Ministry is centrally procuring HCQ (200mg to be used in proportionality in lieu of 400 mg tablets) and distributing to the states/UTs through the government medical store depot in New Delhi.

In addition, the states/UTs and various institutes/bodies have directly procured HCQ, which is supplied by the Central government, from manufactures.

The senior official from the ministry has stated that the number of states/UTs who have not been filling and updating the data of HCQ on the national COVID-19 portal must get the data of availability and consumption of HCQ. It will help in the formulation of further plans as well as in making more HCQ tablets available to the states /UTs when required.

It also mentioned that all the states are advised to administer HCQ tablets to the selected categories of frontline workers strictly from the stock of HCQ already available to them. It must be in accordance with the revised guidelines that were released on May 22, 2020.

Revised Guidelines by the Central Government:

The central government revised the guidelines for HCQ as prophylaxis. The union government has now expanded the use of HCQ as prophylaxis to healthcare as well as other frontline workers who have been deployed in COVID and no-COVID areas.

The Joint Monitoring Group and National Task Force (NTF) recommended the prophylactic use of HCQ in the following categories:

•   All asymptomatic healthcare workers who are involved in containment and treatment of COVID-19 and asymptomatic healthcare workers who are working in non-COVID hospitals/non-COVID areas of COVID hospitals.

•   Asymptomatic frontline workers such as paramilitary/police personnel involved in COVID-19 related activities and surveillance workers who have been deployed in containment zones

•   Asymptomatic household contacts of the laboratory-confirmed cases.