The government of Maldives has expressed gratitude to the government of India for including Maldives in the list of countries India will be releasing Hydroxychloroquine despite a lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
India has approved the first list of 13 countries that are set to receive COVID-fighting drugs, including the anti-malaria drug, Hydroxychloroquine or HCQ. Following the decision to include the Maldives among the 13 countries to receive the first consignment, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid and Minister of Defence Mariya Ahmed Didi appreciated and welcomed the decision of the Indian government.
The 13 countries on the list include the US, Spain, Germany, Bahrain, Brazil, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Seychelles, Mauritius and the Dominican Republic. The drug is proven to treat malaria, arthritis and lupus. It was among the 24 medicines, including the painkiller acetaminophen, for which India restricted exports on March 25, as the country went into lockdown.
India is the world's biggest generic drugmaker and manufactures most of the global supply of Hydroxychloroquine.