Covid-19: Brazilian prez thanks PM Modi for raw material to produce HCQ

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for facilitating the export of raw materials to Brazil for the production of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, cited by many as a viable therapeutic solution to fight coronavirus infection.

In an address to the nation on Wednesday, Bolsonaro said Brazil will receive ingredients from India for the production of hydroxychloroquine on Saturday.

"We have more good news. As an outcome of my direct conversation with Prime Minister of India, we will receive, by Saturday, raw materials to continue our production of hydroxychloroquine so that we can treat patients of COVID-19 as well as of lupus, malaria, and arthritis," he said.

"I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India for such timely help to the people of Brazil," the Brazilian leader said.

Parts of the transcript of his speech were made available by a diplomat from the Latin American country.
 

Modi and Bolsonaro had a telephonic conversation on April 4 during which the Brazilian leader requested Modi to allow export of the drug as well as raw materials for its production in Brazil.

Separately, in a letter to Modi on Tuesday, Bolsonaro mentioned that two Brazilian laboratories, EMS and Apsen, have been importing raw materials from India for several years to produce hydroxychloroquine and that Brazil's internal supply of the drug depends on its production by the two firms.

Bolsonaro requested Modi to ensure that Brazil gets the supply of the raw material ordered prior to the imposition of the ban on hydroxychloroquine.

On March 25, India banned export of hydroxychloroquine in the midst of views in some quarters that the drug could be used to fight COVID-19. India is the largest exporter of the drug. The ban was partially lifted on Tuesday.

In the letter to Modi, the Brazilian leader invoked ancient Indian epic, Ramayana, mentioning the story of how Lord Hanuman brought a holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Laxmana.

Brazil, the largest country in Latin America, has recorded close to 14,000 coronavirus cases and over 660 deaths due to the infection. Globally, the virus has killed over 75,000 people and infected more than 13 lakh.

Bolsonaro said Brazil hoped that the use of hydroxychloroquine would help in the treatment of coronavirus-infected people in his country.

"Like many other countries, Brazil places hope in the use of hydroxychloroquine as an effective means to treat patients who have contracted COVID-19," the Brazilian leader wrote in the letter.

He also referred to the partnership between the two countries in the pharmaceutical sector, adding that leading Brazilian pharmaceutical laboratories have a "solid and long" partnership with Indian laboratories.

Brazilian Prez invokes Ramayana while seeking hydroxychloroquine from India

 

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking supply of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro invoked ancient Indian epic Ramayana, mentioning the story of how Lord Hanuman brought a holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lakshmana.

India has partially lifted a ban on export of hydroxychloroquine, cited by many as a viable therapeutic solution to fight coronavirus infection. India is supplying the drug to the US and several other countries hit by the pandemic.

Brazil, the largest country in Latin America, has recorded close to 14,000 coronavirus cases and over 660 deaths due to the disease. Globally, the virus has killed over 75,000 people and infected more than 13 lakh.

Besides the Ramayana, the Brazilian leader also referred to Jesus Christ, while exuding confidence that the two countries will overcome the global crisis by joining hands.

"Just as Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama's brother Lakshmana, and Jesus healed those who were sick and restored the sight to Bartimeu, India and Brazil will overcome this global crisis by joining forces and sharing blessings for the sake of all peoples," Bolsonaro said in the letter on Tuesday.