Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 4

The production of Remdesivir has gone up nearly three times to 1.05 crore vials per month as the government works hard to enhance the availability of the antiviral drug in the country, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviaya said on Tuesday.

ITBP-run Covid centre underutilised

• Opened a week ago to tackle the rise in Covid patients here, the ITBP-run Covid-19 care centre has been able to operationalise only 350 of its 500 sanctioned beds due to a shortage of oxygen.
• Sources said the centre was getting only 2.99 MT of liquid medical oxygen against the sanctioned quota of 6.55 MT. According to official data, 720 patients were admitted to the centre. tns

The minister claimed aid received from the global community had been allocated, with medical infrastructure of 38 institutions across 31 states/UTs strengthened. The production capacity of the drug has crossed 1.05 crore vials per month as on May 4, a nearly three-fold increase from 37 lakh vials per month on April 12 this year, Mandaviya said in a tweet.

He went on to add that the anti-viral drug was now being produced across 57 plants in the country compared to 20 facilities a month ago and “soon the demand would be met”.

The minister said the government was trying hard to fight the pandemic. Keeping in view the high demand for Remdesivir amid a massive spike in Covid infections, the government has already waived customs duty on the drug and its raw material.