Chair of the National Clinical Committee for Corona Disease and Executive Director of Medical Affairs at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Dr. Nawal Ahmed Al Kaabi, revealed that the UAE uses five drugs within the protocol for the treatment of patients with the emerging corona virus (Covid-19), including hydroxychloroquine and a drug Faviravir, anti-viral "RNA", anticoagulant, as well as "plasma".

Al-Kaabi stressed the use of the drug hydroxychloroquine in treating patients with Corona virus for more than two months, according to the recommendations of the National Clinical Committee for «Corona», noting that the work of the drug includes three mechanisms, the first is the need for the virus to adhere to receptors called ACE2 in the lung, and it needs activation These receptors are in an acidic environment, indicating that hydroxychloroquine, or chloroquine, increases the alkalinity of the environment, preventing the virus from adhering to ACE2 receptors in the lung. The second mechanism is that the new corona virus needs an acidic environment, and by increasing the alkalinity of the environment, using this drug reduces the reproduction of the virus, in addition to the drug inhibiting immunity, which is important to reduce complications of «Covid 19».

Al-Kaabi stressed, during media statements, in response to the announcement by the UAE embassy in New Delhi that it had obtained the approval of the Indian government to export adequate quantities of the drug «Hydroxychloroquine» to the state for use as a treatment for people with coronavirus, that the UAE applies the latest treatments, according to the latest scientific research .

She pointed out that the treatments used in addition to the drug hydroxychloroquine, include anti-viral drugs, whether «RNA» virus «family of Corona virus», or other viruses, and drug «faviravir», which is a virus antivirus that works effectively against influenza and Ebola, and medical research has shown that its effect on Corona is very encouraging, in addition to other treatments in intensive care, including anticoagulants and plasma, immunosuppressants and certain breathing methods.

She said: "We apply the latest tests and treatments in the fight against the Corona virus, and we follow certain protocols for prevention and treatment, and other protocols to care for intensive care patients, according to the latest scientific research, and the committee updates treatment methods according to international medical developments." For its part, the Ministry of Health and Community Protection confirmed that some preliminary studies have proven the effectiveness of drugs, such as chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, in treating "corona", noting that "these drugs are already used in the country, and their effectiveness is continuously monitored, in addition to other countermeasures Viruses, while the effectiveness of drugs is measured by reducing the duration of infection or its effectiveness in reducing complications, and thus speeding up the recovery process. The Ministry also confirmed the start of the use of plasma therapy along with a number of other treatments, as it measured its effectiveness through studies and research, pointing to the emirate’s keenness to follow up on available or announced studies and treatments around the world, and to provide any treatment for the safety of citizens and residents.

Plasma treatment

The Sheikh Khalifa Medical City stated that the use of blood plasma is done by giving the plasma taken from a person who has recovered from the Corona virus to a person who has the virus, who has moderate to severe symptoms, as the cells contain immune bodies, which the body has formed after inflammation, and usually form between 14 and 21 days after recovery, noting that it is the first hospital in the country to implement plasma treatment for the "Covid-19" virus.