Two government's ministries concerned have taken different stands over supply of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) tablets following worldwide rise in the number of coronavirus-infected patients, including in Bangladesh.
The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, recently issued an order to local pharmaceutical companies to suspend supply of HCQ to retail pharmacies, aiming to store it for crisis period.
On the other side, the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) issued a letter on Sunday, saying that Bangladesh can export HCQ to any country, as there is no restriction (in this regard) in the Export Policy Order 2018-21.
HCQ is being used on trial basis as a protective drug against COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh and some other countries, including the United States, although its use is not clinically proven and has no strong medical evidence.
Pharmaceuticals company insiders said the DGDA issued the order in a bid to stop panic buying of HCQ tablets by some quarters as well as to ensure a considerable stock of the medicine for protecting people, if COVID-19 situation deteriorates further.
Currently, four to five local pharmaceutical companies are producing HCQ. Already all of them have stopped exporting it, giving first priority to people here.
The pharmaceutical companies are now allowed to supply HCQ tablets only to the COVID-19 designated hospitals in the country or to the DGDA.
However, the MoC issued the letter, dated April 19, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following its query to export HCQ from Bangladesh to Malaysia, sources said.
"There is no restriction on export of any drugs or its formula in the Export Policy Order. To fight this global crisis, Bangladesh can export HCQ tablets and other drugs," said the letter.
Although HCQ is currently not available in local market for consumers, it is open to supply for people of other countries, which is frustrating, said a health expert, preferring anonymity.
Officials said Bangladesh cannot take a stance to officially stop export of HCQ, as it is a matter of bilateral relationship with other countries.
An insider of a leading pharmaceutical company said currently they have Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) for HCQ tablets that can support 3.0 million.
He also said they are already facing difficulties to import API for HCQ production from its main source countries - India and China.
"We have communicated with India in diplomatic channel through the High Commission, but are still facing difficulties to procure API for manufacturing HCQ," he added.
Earlier, India reversed its decision on ban of exporting HCQ, a day after the US President Donald Trump gave threat of retaliation against the country.
In Bangladesh, some law-enforcing personnel and healthcare service providers have already started taking HCQ as a preventive drug, ignoring its side-effects.
The national guideline for COVID-19 frontline healthcare professionals has also recommended using the tablet in a low dose with some precautions.
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