
There is proscribed proof on the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine to take care of COVID-19 (Representational)
New Delhi: Five hospitals have enrolled thus far for an observational examine being performed by ICMR to evaluate the efficacy of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medicine towards COVID-19 amongst healthcare personnel.
Five hospitals — AIIMS Jodhpur, Maulana Azad Medical College and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, Apollo Hospital in Chennai and AIIMS, Patna have been enrolled within the 12-week lengthy examine launched within the first week of May, Dr Rajnikant Srivastava, head of Department of Research Management, Policy Planning and Communication on the Indian Council of Medical Research in Delhi stated.
Dr Suman Kanungo, Scientist on the ICMR who’s coordinating the examine, stated healthcare employees together with docs, nurses, paramedics and sanitation employees who’re taking good care of COVID-19 sufferers and dealing in COVID areas in these 5 hospitals have been enrolled on this observational examine.
“The aim is to evaluate the incidence of coronavirus infection among healthcare workers who are taking hydroxychloroquine as prophylaxis,” Dr Kanungo stated, including that the side-effects may even be estimated.
“Any adverse event following intake of the drug will be noted and analysed in this structured study,” the scientist stated.
“There is a plan to enrol around 1,500 healthcare workers in the study. All those participating in the study would undergo COVID-19 test before they are being enrolled and every two weeks henceforth,” Dr Kanungo stated.
“There will be no intervention from our side. Healthcare workers who are taking hydroxychloroquine will be followed for twelve weeks,” the scientist stated.
According to an ICMR official, there may be restricted proof on the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine to take care of COVID-19 circumstances and due to this fact, there may be not sufficient proof to advise it for common public use as of now.
The ICMR has really helpful using the drug as a preventive medicine to healthcare employees and family contacts taking care of a optimistic case.
Besides, the Union Health Ministry has additionally really helpful using Hydroxychloroquine together with Azithromycin on COVID-19 affected sufferers struggling with extreme illness and requiring ICU administration.
Hydroxychloroquine is one among the many 4 therapy protocols that’s being evaluated through the randomised managed scientific trials beneath the WHO’s Solidarity trial to seek out an efficient therapy for COVID-19 throughout chosen hospitals.
The different three therapy protocols are Remdesivir, mixture of Lopinavir and Ritonavir and Lopinavir and Ritonavir with Interferon beta-1a.
Hydroxychloroquine is an previous and cheap drug used to deal with malaria. India is the biggest producer of the drug globally.
Hydorxychloroquine not too long ago failed in two separate randomised managed trials performed in China and France, the findings of which had been printed within the BMJ journal on May 15.
The variety of coronavirus circumstances crossed the one lakh mark within the nation on Tuesday, whereas the loss of life toll as a result of an infection touched 3,163, based on the Union Health Ministry.
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