The first batch of the adjunct COVID therapy anti-COVID drug called 2-DG was released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and handed over to Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Science & Tech and Earth Sciences Dr.Harsh Vardhan in New Delhi on Monday.
One box each of the sachets of the drug was handed over to Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Dr.Randeep Guleria and Lt Gen Sunil Kant of Armed Forces Medical Services(AFMS).More will be handed over to different hospitals across the country for emergency use.An anti-COVID-19 therapeutic application of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has been developed by Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), along with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad.
Rajnath congratulated DRDO and DRL, Hyderabad for manufacturing the drug that will help the COVID patients to reduce oxygen dependency and recover quickly. He described the drug as a perfect example of the country’s scientific prowess and a milestone in the efforts towards self-reliance. “2-DG drug is a new ray of hope in these challenging times,” he said. He added that when the situation improves, he would personally like to honour the scientists who played a major role in the development of the drug as they deserve credit for this achievement.
In his address, Health Minister Dr.Harsh Vardhan termed 2-DG as an important development by DRDO and DRL, Hyderabad that will reduce the recovery time & oxygen dependency in COVID-19 patients. He expressed hopes that the drug will go a long way in defeating the virus in not just India but across the globe. He congratulated DRDO and its scientists for playing an important role in the fight against COVID-19.