Health experts given task to issue advisory on use of Chloroquine: Dr Mirza

The special assistant said the govt had compete data about availability of chloroquine medicine

ISLAMABAD (APP) – Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza Sunday said a group of health experts have been given the task to issue advisory on the use of Chloroquine for Coronavirus treatment.

Addressing a press conference here, he said coronavirus had infected 0.3 million people across 188 countries killing around 13,000 people, but 95,000 of those had fully recovered and discharged from the hospitals.

In Pakistan, he said, three people had died of Covid-19 disease and 5,650 people were identified as suspected cases.

He said details for the use of Chloroquine medicine will be available to our health departments after being discussed at national level, adding that sufficient stock of Chloroquine is available in the country and there is complete ban on its export.

“The federal government, provinces and all the stakeholders are working on war footing for safety and well-being of people. All resources are mobilized and measures taken for prevention and mitigation,” Dr Zafar Mirza said.

The special assistant said training for about 5,000 doctors would be arranged as how to deal and treat the people affected by coronavrius. He advised the citizens to wash hands regularly with soap, besides cleaning surfaces regularly with recommended disinfectants.

Dr Zafar also asked the citizens to avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with contaminated hands and practice respiratory hygiene by coughing or sneezing into a bent elbow or tissue and then immediately dispose it off, adding that the citizens should wear a medical or surgical mask if they had respiratory symptoms and perform hand hygiene after disposing off the mask.

He asked to maintain a minimum of mandatory one meter distance from individuals with respiratory symptoms. He said if the symptoms appeared, doctors or 1166 should be approached immediately.

The special assistant said the government had compete data about the availability of chloroquine medicine being used to treat coronavirus patients.

“We have information, how many tablets, syrups, injections and raw material is available of chloroquine in the country. We are continually monitoring the situation and one should not worry about it,” he added.

He said the government was also in touch with doctors about the use of chloroquine medicine. “We are taking guideline from the professionals, when, how, and for how much time this medicine should be used,” he said.

However, he dispelled the impression that chloroquine could be used as a preventive medicine.

He said an advisory had been issued that chloroquine should not be sold without doctor’s prescription.