Amid increasing requests received by New Delhi from different nations for the supply of Hydroxychloroquine, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has invoked the Hindu epic, Ramayana, to appeal to the Indian leader to allow the export of the anti-malarial drug, which can be used to treat coronavirus patients.
On Saturday, Bolsonaro had spoken to Modi on phone and sought the supply of the drug. His letter yesterday followed the phone call.
The reference to Ramayana was made against the backdrop of the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the world, including Brazil. India had banned the export of the drug on 26 March but after US President Donald Trump’s appeal, it allowed supplies on Tuesday.
“Just as Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama’s brother Laksmana, and Jesus healed those who were sick and restored sight to Bartimeu, India and Brazil will overcome this global crisis by joining forces and sharing blessings for the sake of all people,” The Brazilian leader said in his letter.
Ever since the deadly virus spread across nations, Hydroxychloroquine has become one of the most highly demanded drugs worldwide. India, the world’s main supplier of generic drugs, has been finding it difficult to cope with the requests for Hydroxycholoquine received from nearly 30 nations.
New Delhi has said it would consider exports depending on domestic requirements as well as India’s ties with the countries seeking the drug.