6.5k Remdesivir given out, pharma companies fail to deliver full quota

NAGPUR: After two days of acute crisis, around 6,597 vials of anti-viral Remdesivir injections were distributed among Covid hospitals and other facilities in the district on Monday.
No injections had arrived in the city on Sunday leading to a panic. The 1,300 that was released by the district administration was received on Saturday.
According to a top source in Mumbai, the pharmaceutical companies, which manufactures Remdesivir, are not supplying the injection as per the purchase orders. The erratic supply of Remdesivir leading to a statewide shortfall was due to the inadequate supply of the injections in the state despite a high court order.
Even after the Centre had announced an increased allotment of Remdesivir to Maharashtra, it has so far remained only on paper, the source stated.
It’s learnt a pharmaceutical company, which had promised to send 55,000 vials to the state, could not supply any consignment in the last five days. Another top pharmaceutical brand, which had assured to send around 23,000 vials, could send only 2,000 in the last few days.
In a similar manner, another prominent pharmaceutical company, which had promised around 1.27 lakhs vials, could send only 13,000 in last several days. “The top pharmaceutical companies have faltered on their promise pushing Maharashtra into the crisis situation. The state’s purchase order is pending for the last two months with the pharmaceutical companies which have not complied till date with the full required stock,” said a key source.
As per another source in the pharmaceutical sector, the manufacturers too are plagued with several problems including shortage of raw materials which comes from outside India. “The production has slowed down due to manpower infected with Covid. Plus, there is also a simultaneous rise in demand from other states too,” he said.
Senior physician Dr Jay Deshmukh said Remdesivir is not a life-saving drug and neither can it stop one from going to ventilator and such critical care. “Remdesivir at the most can stop the infection spread and reduce the hospital stay,” said Deshmukh who said steroids and oral tablets like Favipiravir too are giving sound results.
According to Hetal Thakkar of Nagpur District Chemists and Druggists Association, hospitals and other Covid facilities should stop sending patients’ kin for trying to buy Remdisivir in the open market.