WHO urges to increase Dexamethasone production to COVID-19 patients

GENEVA: The World Health Organisation on Monday, June 22, urged for rapid increase in the production of Dexamethasone, after it was found in a UK trial that the drug had a life-saving potential for critically-ill Covid-19 patients.

Researchers from Oxford University conducted a randomised trial where 2,104 patients enrolled were administered with 6 mg of the drug for 10 days, it was found that the drug successfully reduced deaths by one-third in ventilated patients and by one-fifth in patients receiving only oxygen. It is low-dose steroid that has been on the market for over 60 years and usually serves to reduce inflammation.

WHO emphasised that dexamethasone should only be used for patients with severe Covid-19 under clinical supervision, while it should not be used in mild cases or for prevention purposes.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, WHO, said that demand has already increased, after UK trial results showed Dexamethasone’s clear benefit. The challenge now is to increase production and rapid and equal distribution of the drug worldwide, focusing on where it is required the most. He added that, luckily this is an inexpensive medicine and there are many dexamethasone manufacturers worldwide who can accelerate the production.

WHO mentioned that it was shipping more than 140 million items of personal protective equipment (ppe), 14,000 oxygen concentrators and millions of tests to 135 countries.