AIIMS allocates HCQ tablets for its healthcare workers dealing with COVID-19 patients

TheAIIMS authorities on Tuesday saidall healthcare workers involved in the treatment of coronavirus-infected patients at the premier institute can get Hydroxychloroquine tablets from their respective departments.

"It is for the information of all concerned that requisite quantity of tablets Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been issued to all departments (for faculty and residents) and to all in patient wards (for nurses, technical and all other staff) from wheresoever requisition was received," an order issued by Dr DK Sharma, Medical Superintendent at AIIMS said.

The administration has asked all departments and inpatient wards who have not sent their requisitions so far and want to get HCQ tablets issued for use by employees and officials at risk to send their requirement for approval and subsequent issue by the hospital store.

"All other individual employees (serving/ retired) or dependent EHS beneficiary patients who have been/ are being advised Tablet HCQ by respective treating doctors including EHS CMO's can get required medicine issued from EHS Pharmacy against prescription," the order said.

The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has recommendeduse of the drug as preventive medication for healthcare workers andhouseholdcontacts looking after a positive case. Besides, theUnion Health Ministry has also recommended use ofHydroxychloroquinein combination with Azithromycin by thoseseverely suffering from COVID-19 who require ICU management.

The death toll due to novel coronavirus rose to 124 and the number of cases in the country climbed to 4,789 on Tuesday, registering an increase of 508 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry.

However, a PTI tally based on figures reported directly by states showed at least 143 deaths across the country, while the confirmed cases reached 4,998. Of them, 414 have been cured and discharged.

There has been a lag in the Union Health Ministry figures, compared to the numbers announced by different states, which officials attribute to procedural delays in assigning the cases to individual states.