On Friday, April 3, 2,250 packages of the drug Plaquenil will be shipped to the regions of Ukraine, to satisfy their need in medicines necessary to cure severe and extremely severe symptoms in patients infected with the coronavirus. Health Minister Maxym Stepanov announced on air of the political talk-show "Pravo na Vladu" (The Right to Power) on April 2.

"We have already planned how to properly distribute the medicines. We were given 3,000 packages of the drug. 2,250 will be sent to the regions while 750 remain in Kyiv to provide a quick response. Tomorrow a contract with UkrMedPostach will be physically signed, and tomorrow the medicines will be shipped to the regions," Maxym Stepanov said.

According to the Minister of Health, Plaquenil is one of several drugs containing the active substance hydroxychloroquine, which is used to treat coronavirus. That is why the Ministry of Health has embarked on negotiations with other companies about the supply of this drug.

"Next week, we will receive a sufficient amount of this medication to potentially treat up to 20,000 patients," Maxym Stepanov emphasized.

We would like to emphasize that there is currently no cure for COVID-19 coronavirus disease, and patients are receiving symptomatic treatment. In particular, Plaquenil is used in severe and extremely severe symptoms in patients.

Note that any use of this drug in the treatment of COVID-19 is considered to be off-label use (that is, in the absence of such an approved indication as the disease caused by COVID-19 in the instructions for medical use). It is not recommended to buy the drug in pharmacies without a doctor's prescription. The effects of self-medication can be harmful.