New Delhi: The first batch of anti-COVID oral drug 2-DG, developed by the DRDO, was rolled out on Monday as a severe wave of the coronavirus pandemic continued to ravage large parts of India.
Releasing the drug along with Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has brought a "new ray of hope" in the treatment of COVID-19 patients and exuded confidence that it would be effective.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) approved 2-DG for emergency use as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe coronavirus patients earlier this month.
"This is a great example of the scientific prowess of our country," Singh said in his brief remarks.
The defence minister also listed the efforts of the armed forces in helping the civilian authorities deal with the pandemic across the country, but asserted that their deployment has not impacted the military's operational preparedness at the borders.
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"Even after going through all these difficulties, we have ensured that our preparedness at the border does not have any impact. There is no shortage of enthusiasm of our forces anywhere. We know this very well, no matter how big the difficulty is, we will overcome it," he said.
About the coronavirus crisis, Singh said it is not the time to relax and get tired as there is nothing definitive about the course of the pandemic.
"We do not need to be relaxed nor should we get tired, because this wave has come for the second time and there is nothing definite about this. We have to take steps with full caution," he said at the event at the DRDO headquarters here.
Singh said the government has taken the overall situation seriously, whether it is the matter of oxygen supply or ensuring ICU beds or the arrangement of cryogenic tankers for the transportation of liquid oxygen.