Indonesia will continue prescribing two anti-malaria drugs to patients diagnosed with COVID-19 but monitor their use closely, despite the drugs being banned by some nations in Europe.

The southeast Asian nation has since late march recommended the use of chloroquine and its derivative, hydroxychloroquine, including to COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe symptoms, according to Food and Drug Monitoring Agency guidelines.

Indonesia's intention was announced on Thursday by a spokesman for Indonesia COVID-19, less than a week since the World Health Organization (WHO) announced it was temporarily halting its clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine.

In an advisory seen by Reuters from the WHO to Indonesia's health ministry and pulmonologists' association, the global health body said use of the drugs should be suspended "for treating any COVID-19 patients outside the trial".

Wiku Adismasmito, from Indonesia's COVID-19 national taskforce, said Indonesia would comply with the advice in relation to the trial, but continue general use under strict monitoring.

"According to the Ministry of Health, patient care guidelines published by the five medical professions are continuously assessing the usage of this drug, with smaller doses and shorter duration of administration," he said.

The use of hydroxychloroquine was recommended by some world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro.

In recent months clinical trials in France, Brazil and the United States have indicated the drugs carry an increased risk of heart rhythm disturbances and death.

Governments in France, Belgium and Italy moved to ban the drugs on Wednesday, after a second global clinical trial led by the University of Oxford, set to involve 40,000 healthcare workers, was also put on hold.