A pharmaceutical company in central China's Hunan Province has donated a large sum of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that treats bronchitis to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.

The medicine, Yinhuang Qingfei Capsule, has been listed as a recommended TCM in the treatment plan for the COVID-19 by the provincial TCM regulator in Hunan.

A shipment of 1,500 boxes of the capsule, manufactured and donated by Hunan Anbang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., is on its way to Urumqi, capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and will be sent to the Afghan capital of Kabul on March 25 via air.

Previously, Anbang sent 1,500 boxes of the drug to Pakistan and 3,600 boxes to Iran to aid their fight against the COVID-19.

"A major outbreak is a test of social responsibility of pharmaceutical companies," said Chen Feibao, chairman of Anbang. "We will do our utmost to fight the epidemic with people all over the world."

Overseas Chinese chambers of commerce in the United States, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and other countries have contacted Anbang in hopes of obtaining the drug to fight the COVID-19.

In 2019, the drug passed the clinical trial in Pakistan and proved effective for Pakistani patients.