The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday issued an updated clinical management protocol for managing the novel coronavirus cases. The protocol includes the use of Dexamethasone as an alternative to Methylprednisolone for managing moderate to severe Covid-19 cases.

Keeping pace with evolving knowledge about Covid-19, especially in terms of effective drugs, the change by the health ministry was made after considering the latest available evidence and expert consultation.

The guidance document has also been made available online on the website of the health ministry.

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid drug which is used in a wide range of conditions for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects.

The drug has already been tested on Covid-19 patients during the ‘recovery clinical trial’ and was found to have benefits for critically-ill patients. As per the trial results, the drug can 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 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.