Rajasthan: After Remdesivir, steroids prescribed for Covid patients fast running out of stock

JAIPUR: Amidst the crisis of Remdesivir and oxygen, now some of the important steroids meant for treatment of Covid-19 patients have gone out of stock.
Many patients whose HRCT score is below 8, but are prescribed mild use of some of the steroids including medrol, ceftum and eliquis are unable to get them in the market. All these were earlier available over the counter, but the sudden spike in cases and high demand has brought their shortage.
TOI on Friday spoke to some of the physicians and also to the stockists of these steroids to know the status and availability in the market.
“I have completed my five days of medication . My doctor advised me to go for an HRCT test where I got my score 6. Now, doctors have advised me medrol, ceftum and eliquis. These medicines are given to ensure there is no blood clotting as an after-effect of Covid. My brother had gone to the medical shop and was told that the drug was unavailable,” Aniket Sehgal, a Covid patient in Jhotwara who is under treatment through home isolation, said.
Purushottam Lal, a medical shop owner in Vaishali Nagar, said, “Yes, there is shortage of steroids, especially Medrol.”
Some of the stockists in Film Colony, the wholesale market of medicines, also admitted that there is shortage of these steroids amidst the growing demand. “The orders we had sent last week to Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are getting delayed. And this problem is not just confined to steroids as other things for Covid-19 treatment including multi-vitamin and some antibiotics, including azithromycin, are short in supply,” said Sulabh Jain, a stockist of medicines at Film Colony.
Dr Ajeet Singh, superintendent of RUHS, said, “Some of the steroids are given to under-treatment patients, but it is advisable that people isolated at home should not take these without the consultation of certified medical practitioners. In some cases attendants of patients are asking if they can take it. I would say doctors are best to take decision in this. I would advise people not to take it.”