The Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital has launched a separate counter to sell Remdesivir, an injection administered to patients undergoing treatment for COVID-19 infection in hospitals.
The move followed demand for the drug amidst soaring prices and non-availability in the open market. Some people had taken to social media complaining that the drug, used to treat patients on oxygen support, was being sold for as much as ₹20,000. The State government on Monday began selling the drug at KMC, where the drug is being sold for ₹1,560 a pack. The purchaser makes an online payment and is provided a receipt for the same. The counter was commissioned in the afternoon and tokens were distributed until 5 p.m. As many as 75 tokens were distributed on Monday.
To purchase, the patient’s family must produce a letter from the attending doctor and the hospital, mentioning that the patient is sick. Photocopies of the patient’s RT-PCR test report, a CT scan report showing the patient’s lung involvement and the Aadhaar card of the patient and the procurer are also necessary.