Serbia began its own production of chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic welcomed the start of production of the drug chloroquine, used in the treatment of coronavirus, at the Belgrade pharmaceutical company Galenika.
Serbian media reported this, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“The production of chloroquine has begun in Serbia, a key drug for the fight against coronavirus! – the Serbian president wrote on his Instagram profile “The Future of Serbia.” “Bravo to Galenika and the Serbian workers!”
The words of the Serbian leader were confirmed by the director of the Republican Health Insurance Fund, Sanja Radojevic-Shkodrić, who promised to ensure the required volumes of production of the drug in the country. The day before it became known that the corresponding raw materials arrived in Serbia from abroad.
“The state had to foresee the situation when it came to purchasing the drug, and had to take care not to buy too much, since the peak of the disease may have passed,” the director of the republican fund commented on the need for in-house production. “On the other hand, it must be prepared for the situation that has developed in Italy (when, on the contrary, instead of the expected decline, a sharp worsening of the epidemiological situation began - ed.).”
Chloroquine, a drug previously used against malaria, is now one of the main treatments for COVID-19. In particular, its use was promoted by US President Donald Trump, however, for example, in Brazil its production was stopped due to the high mortality rate of patients.
Tom Hanks's wife, singer Rita Wilson, who recovered from coronavirus, also spoke about the unpleasant side effects of chloroquine, such as nausea and muscle weakness.
Serbia has begun domestic production of chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19.