RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh is facing a shortage of RT-PCR test kits and the state government has admitted to a shortage of Remdesivir even as it battles an unprecedented Covid crisis.The state needs 10,000 Remdesivir doses daily but the wholesale market has not received any fresh supplies in the last three days, leaving patients’ kin desperate. There have been complaints of black-marketing, and the state government has warned that strict action will be taken if anyone is found guilty of it.
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh is facing a shortage of RT-PCR test kits and the state government has admitted to a shortage of Remdesivir even as it battles an unprecedented Covid crisis.The state needs 10,000 Remdesivir doses daily but the wholesale market has not received any fresh supplies in the last three days, leaving patients’ kin desperate. There have been complaints of black-marketing, and the state government has warned that strict action will be taken if anyone is found guilty of it.
There is a shortage of Remdesivir in government hospitals as well, said state health official Dr Subhash Pandey. Part of the reason for this shortage is that some doctors are unnecessarily prescribing Remdesivir to stable patients while it should be given only to those critically ill, said health officials. Those who need the injections have been running from pillar to post. “Remdesivir is an anti-viral drug and it should not be given to patients whose health condition is stable and oxygen level is above 95%. It should be preserved for critical patients, whose blood oxygen level dips below 92%. In some parts of the state, it is reported that doctors are prescribing Remdesivir to even stable patients, which is misuse of the drug,” said a health official.
State’s Food and Drugs Administration official K D Kunjam said, “There was a shortage of Remdesivir injections in Chhattisgarh after a steep rise in Covid infections. Pharmacists in the state are receiving around 3,500 doses every day. The demand for Remdesivir started rising during March-end, when Covid cases began to increase.” FDA officials said that Chhattisgarh receives Remdesivir from Mumbai and Ahmedabad and there are a handful of companies in the country developing this drug. “Most of the drug is being supplied to Maharashtra and Karnataka, where high numbers of Covid patients are reported, hence instead of 10,000 doses, Chhattisgarh is now receiving 3,500 doses,” an official said.
Bhimrao Ambedkar Hospital’s pulmonologist Dr RK Panda said, “Though there is a shortage across the nation, we are treating patients with other drugs and medicines of similar composition as a substitute.” There are 76,868 active cases in Chhattisgarh, with Durg and Raipur being the worst affected. All 1,000 ICU beds are occupied in these two districts. Of these active cases, around 20% are being treated in hospital, and about 12% of them need Remdesivir, said state health officials.
Raipur is facing a shortage of RTPCR kits in private labs and people are receiving services for testing after two days. “Private diagnostic labs are responsible for ordering RTPCR kits on their own and state agencies are entitled to maintain supply in government hospitals, where 40% testing is being done with RTPCR and 60% is being done with antigen kits,” said a health official.
FDA officials said that Chhattisgarh receives Remdesivir from Mumbai and Ahmedabad and there are a handful of companies in the country developing this drug. “Most of the drug is being supplied to Maharashtra and Karnataka, where high numbers of Covid patients are reported, hence instead of 10,000 doses, Chhattisgarh is now receiving 3,500 doses,” an official said
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