Centre revises COVID-19 treatment guidelines cutting down on drugs; earns praise from WHO

As India's cities begin unlocking again after a COVID peak, Centre's Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued revised COVID-19 treatment guidelines on Monday, specifying criteria for use of certain drugs in treatment. new guidelines drastically cut down on usage of several antibiotic drugs, steriods while warning against excessive usage of Remdesivir, Tocilizumab etc. Currently, India has 14,01,609 active cases, 2,71,59,180 recovered COVID cases and 3,49,186 fatalities.

DGHS releases revised COVID treatment guidelines

As per DGHS guidelines, no medication is to be given to asymptomatic patients, while mild cases have been vised to take antipyretic, anti-tussive medicines along with inhalational budesonide. DGHS has eliminated use of popular drugs like Favipiravir, Ivermectin, Azithromycin, Doxycycline, Zinc, plasma rapy etc for mild cases. Similarly, for moderate cases, DGHS vises use of steroids on SpO2 levels falling below 92% and usage of anticoagulants, steroids. For severe cases, DGHS recommends immediate oxygen rapy, intubation and ventilation, steroid usage, anti-coagulants, immune-modulators etc.

Apart from se guidelines, DGHS has detailed usage of Remdesivir - stating that drug must be used in select moderate/ severe hospitalised COVID-19 patients on supplemental oxygen within 10 days of onset of disease, highlighting it is an experimental drug. Similarly, DGHS has vised usage of Tocilizumab only in severe and critically ill patients under select conditions. 9-page guidelines also vise on usage of steroids in hospitalized moderately severe and critically ill COVID-19 cases, vises conducting a High-resolution CT (HRCT) scan of chest only if a suspected and confirmed cases of moderate COVID-19 continue to deteriorate clinically and details treatment for Mucormycosis.

Several doctors have hailed clear and precise instructions set by DGHS, cutting down on excessive drug usage. Some doctors have pointed out good practices highlighted by DGHS such as not using antibiotics, anti-parasitic, plasma rapy, Coronil, 2DG, Favipiravir and routine CT scans. WHO's chief Scientist Dr Sowmya Swaminathan too hailed guidelines, urging Centre to issue it in all languages.

India's 2nd COVID wave

In second COVID wave, India grappled with acute oxygen supply with Delhi being hit worst - several hospitals moved High Court seeking oxygen supply. While Centre and Delhi govt blamed each or for ongoing oxygen crisis in national capital, Railways started 'Oxygen Express'  to transport liquid oxygen to states via green corridors. SC has constituted an 11-member panel to decide on oxygen allocation to states, pulling up Centre over its vaccination plan. Meanwhile, India's vaccination drive has hit a roblock due to shortage of supplies. Centre has approved an vance payment of Rs 4,567.50 crores to Serum Institute of India (SII) & Bharat Biotech (BBL) to ramp up vaccine production. Soon enough, most state governments placed lakhs of orders with two vaccine manufacturers, but met with delayed delivery dates. India plan to vaccinate all ults by December.