Ministry of Health & Family Welfare issues updated clinical management protocol for managing COVID19 cases
- The updated protocol includes use Dexamethasone as an alternative to Methylprednisolone for managing moderate to severe cases
Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid drug used in a wide range of conditions for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects. The drug has been tested in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the RECOVERY clinical trial and was found to have benefits for critically ill patients and has been shown to reduce mortality by about one third for patients on ventilators, and by about one fifth for patients being maintained on oxygen therapy. The drug is also a part of the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and is widely available.
The Union Health Secretary, Ms. Preeti Sudan has forwarded the updated protocol with all States/UTs to make necessary arrangements for availability and use of the updated protocol and drug Dexamethasone at the institutional level also. The guidance document has also been made available online on the website of the Health Ministry.