Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has officially received from the Ambassador of the Republic of India Mr. Partha Satpathy the shipment of drug with hydroxychloroquine, which the Government of India handed over to Ukraine as humanitarian aid to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The solemn ceremony took place on Tuesday, May 5, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine will further distribute the batch of 30,000 tablets among Ukrainian medical institutions and exercise control over their use.

“This is a real gesture of friendship demonstrated by the Indian people and the Government of India. This step further strengthens the partnership of our countries and shows that India and Ukraine have the ability to face global challenges together,” Dmytro Kuleba stressed.

Ambassador Mr. Partha Satpathy called India and Ukraine "two large democracies." According to him, both countries responded in a timely and effective manner to the beginning of the epidemic. H.E. Ambassador of India stressed that this decision of the Government of India demonstrates a high level of Indian-Ukrainian partnership.

The parties highlighted that the cooperation between Ukraine and India in the pharmaceutical industry is characterised by high growth dynamics.

Thanks to the efforts of Ukrainian diplomacy, the Government of India has also granted a special permit for the commercial purchase of hydroxychloroquine for the needs of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

In addition, a consignment of typhoid, meningitis, cholera and malaria vaccines for the Ukrainian peacekeeping contingent in Congo arrived in Ukraine as part of Indian humanitarian aid.

This decision of the Government of India was preceded by intensive work of the Ukrainian diplomatic corps, in particular, the Embassy of Ukraine with the active support of the Indian diplomatic mission in Kyiv.

Background

The efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 is currently being carefully studied in many countries, including the United States and the European Union.

The Government of the Republic of India has set restrictions on the export of drugs with the active substance hydroxychloroquine. Separate permits are issued for its purchase in a certain amount or for free transfer to friendly countries as humanitarian aid.

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of India has handed over a consignment of vaccines free of charge at the request of the Government of Ukraine in order to provide Ukrainian servicemen within national peacekeeping personnel in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.