India fast-tracks HCQ supplies to UAE, leverages drug to get test kits elsewhere
After supplying to most affected countries such as the US, Spain and the UK, India is all set to bulk supply hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol to close allies Russia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan and key partners in Latin America and Africa. A shipment of HCQ is also being sent to Dominican Republic, the current President of the UN Security Council, as well as Uganda and Ecuador, people familiar with the development said.
An official said India is also committed to supplying the two drugs to its special strategic partner Russia; Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken to PM Modi on March 25. But the special focus of the government at this point are the Gulf countries, particularly the UAE. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla are in constant touch with their Gulf counterparts. India has already sent a 15-member army medical team with supplies to Kuwait and supplied HCQ to Bahrain.
Global demand for hydroxychloroquine manufactured by India boosted after some studies indicated that the drug, when paired with azithromycin, helped clear patients of the virus at a much faster rate than seen usually.
The decision to quickly send the drugs to Abu Dhabi and Dubai was taken after UAE sent a request for 3.25 crore HCQ 200 mg tablets and 10 metric tonnes of active pharmaceutical ingredients. These commercial supplies will go through six Dubai-based consignees having contracts with Indian pharma majors in Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.
HT
