Goa includes Baricitinib medicine to COVID-19 treatment protocol: Health minister

Panaji (Goa) [India], May 16 (ANI): The Goa Health Department is working on additional treatment protocols with the introduction of Baricitinib medicine for COVID-19 patients, informed Goa health minister Vishwajit P Rane on Saturday.
"Subsequent to our meeting held yesterday with the expert team of doctors, the Health Department is working on additional treatment protocols recently adopted by the Karnataka Government", Rane informed in a Facebook post.
Under the guidance of Dr Anoop Amarnath, Head, Scientific Board and Chairman-Geriatric Medicine, Manipal Hospital and member of state's Critical Care Support Team, has supported and approved the usage of Baricitinib.
"It is to be administered orally from the 5th day of the symptom along with Remdesivir. It has prevented patients from reaching the oxygen stage/breathlessness and would also prove to be effective in preventing a Cytokine storm", the health minister informed.
"We shall be further modifying our treatment protocol with the advice of expert doctors under the guidance of Goa CM Dr Pramod Sawant. The use of Baricitinib has been approved by DRDO and ICMR for emergency use", he said.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Friday held a meeting with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane, via video conferencing and reviewed the COVID-19 situation in state.
The Governor enquired about vaccination planning, oxygen supply, awareness, testing, involvement of university students and volunteers and other relevant issues, the official release said. Koshyari is also governor of Maharashtra.
On May 11, state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had informed that 26 patients admitted to the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital had died due to lack of oxygen. However, more deaths were reported on the subsequent days.
Meanwhile, Goa reported 1,957 new Covid-19 cases and 58 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Goa health department yesterday. (ANI)