Panaji, June 7: The Goa government's recent initiative to distribute crores of rupees worth of ivermectin tablets as prophylaxis treatment for COVID-19 is now caught in a bind, with the central government dropping the anti-parasitic drug from its COVID-19 management protocol.

Hours after the central Health ministry's Directorate General of Health Services circular dropping ivermectin among several other drugs from its list, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that he had sent the circular to the state's Health Secretary Ravi Dhawan. Ivermectin Drug Will be Given to All People Above 18 Years in Goa to Bring Down Mortality, Says State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane

"I have sent the circular to the Secretary Health. We will have to see," Sawant told reporters at the state Secretariat.

In a major decision, the Goa government on May 10 had amended its COVID-19 treatment protocol, recommending that all persons above the age of 18 should take five tablets of ivermectin, to prevent the viral load, which more of then not causes excessive trauma and even death in COVID-19 positive patients.

The tablets would be distributed free of cost at all public health centres and through officials of the Women and Child Development as well as anganwadi workers, Health Minister Vishwaji Rane had said.

The Congress had also alleged a scam of Rs 22.50 crore in the purchase of ivermectin tablets.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 07, 2021 03:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).