Bengaluru: Private Hospitals Run Out Of COVID-19 Drug Remdesivir, Some Have Zero Stocks

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The Logical Indian Crew

Bengaluru: Private Hospitals Run Out Of COVID-19 Drug Remdesivir, Some Have 'Zero' Stocks

Dr K V Trilok Chandra, Health Commissioner said that the government has around 35,000 doses of the drug, establishing that none of the government hospitals is falling short of the drug.

About 1,223 COVID-19 patients getting treated at 49 city hospitals need 4,932 Remdesivir doses for the next three days. But the private hospitals in Bengaluru are reported to have only 535 single-dose vials with many reporting to have run out of stock.

The total number of new daily cases in Karnataka is estimated to be 36,343 from May 2. As the state is incessantly seeing the upsurge, there is a necessity for COVID-19 essential drugs like Remdesivir, 8-10 single-dose vials of which are ideally needed for an individual.

The secretary of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), Dr Y L Rajashekar said that 1,223 out of 1,599 patients are in urgent need of Remdesivir including those who walked in as well as the ones referred by the government. He added that many hospitals have only 50-60 doses of the drug while some have none, reported Deccan Herald.

"This is the estimated requirement… If they (i.e. doses of Remdesivir) are not available, the patients cannot be treated. We have to procure them now. We did a survey in the city and are submitting it to the government today," said Dr Rajashekar.

"Now the state has promised private hospitals that they will themselves talk to manufacturing companies and make the drug available at a discounted price as hospitals across the state face shortage," he said, adding that the state's drug controller has been asked to check for any black marketing of the drug.

Dr K V Trilok Chandra, Health Commissioner said that the government has around 35,000 doses of the drug, establishing that none of the government hospitals is falling short of the drug.

"We won't be supplying the drug from our stock, but the drug controller will facilitate purchases from the manufacturers till the Covid situation stabilises," Chandra said. "They will be procuring it from the open market, though," he said.

Presently, Microlabs, Mylan and Jubilant are the only three manufacturers who are making the drug. In addition to Bengaluru's six-digit caseload, six other districts of Karnataka are exceeding 1000 active cases.

Also Read: Rajasthan: Stabbing Of Two Youths In Chhabra Leads To Communal Violence, Curfew Imposed, Internet Suspended

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