Remdesivir supply allocated to 19 states and UTs with higher cases of Covid-19

 

The escalation of serious COVID 19 patients in hospitals for effective clinical management has also resulted in anincrease in the demand of Remdesivir. While the States have been advised to promote judicious use of the drug which is listed as an Investigational Therapy by the Health Ministry, they have also been advised to take action against possible hoarding and black marketing of the drug.

 

Considering the sudden surge in demand in the country for Remdesivir Injection required for Covid-19 therapy, the manufacturing capacity of domestic Remdesivir manufacturers has been ramped up. All support is being extended to manufacturers by the government in this endeavour. The production capacity is being ramped up from current level of 38 lakh vials per month to 74 lakh vials per month, and 20 additional manufacturing sites have been approved. Export of Remdesivir has also been prohibited on April 11, in order to shore up domestic supplies.

 

Thus, in order to further address reports of shortages in certain regions of the country and facilitate smooth inter-state supply of Remdesivir, the ministry has made an interim allocation of Remdesivir for 19 States and UTs. Remdesivir being an investigational therapy drug given in acute and severe versions of Covid-19 where oxygen support is a must, this allocation pertains to 14 States to which medical oxygen is allocated that include Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and 5 other states where the high volume of supplies are being observed, that include Telangana, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand.