By Hussain Hazazi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Ministry of Health has already started using anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus patients. The results are under study and observation amid positive indications of its use, Okaz/Saudi Gazette has learnt from well-informed sources.

Minister of Health Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah had directed to apply malaria treatment protocol on coronavirus patients in hospitals, after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agreed to use the treatment in emergency situations.

FDA on Sunday issued an emergency authorization for experimental coronavirus treatments using chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, anti-malaria drugs touted by President Donald Trump despite inconclusive clinical proof of their efficacy.

The Trump administration has a plan to distribute millions of doses of anti-malarial drugs to hospitals across the country, saying it is worth the risk of trying unproven treatments to slow the progression of the disease caused by coronavirus in seriously ill patients.

Dr. Muhammad Al-Ghamdi, an infection control consultant, said that it was not previously known the ability of this drug in the treatment of other diseases.

“It is relatively safe and does not have significant side effects in the short term, and studies have indicated its effectiveness, which gives hope for patients,” he said.

Dr. Al-Ghamdi noted the drug is used for COVID-19 patients for a week, and there are positive indications of its effectiveness that will be recorded and verified, especially as it is authorized to use by the Ministry of Health.

On his part, Dr. Nizar Bahbari, an infectious diseases consultant, said that there are many treatments available that are subject to studies.

“The malaria medicine remains the best so far compared to all the other drugs offered. The Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese doctors have used the drug as a first solution in treating corona cases, while taking into consideration that the drug is not taken in any way as a preventative one.

Bahbari also pointed to another treatment, of which the results are found good and is currently being studied. It is the plasma of patients in the recovery phase or those who have minor symptoms of corona. The plasma are taken from the recovered and given to the person who suffers from severe symptoms as the antibodies help eliminate the virus.

Fayez Al-Otaibi, a pharmacist, said that the drug hydroxychloroquine belongs to the family of chloroquine. It was discovered in 1940 and used as a medication for malaria.

Over the years studies have shown that it has immune properties, which led to its use and recognition as a treatment for autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and rheumatism.

He added that decades of its use for chronic infections and preventing malaria have proven that it is relatively safer from severe side effects.

Fatima Asiri, another pharmacist, said that the drug hydroxychloroquine is used to treat malaria and some immune diseases such as rheumatism, and is currently used to treat corona.

It is considered as the best treatment for the virus, she said, while indicating that the US Food and Drug Administration recognized it as a treatment, and the Ministry of Health announced a medical protocol to use for the treatment of the virus in the Kingdom.