PremiumMumbai: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Friday alleged that most pharmaceutical companies are not supplying the mandated quantity of Remdesivir vials to the State.
Remdesivir, an anti-viral drug, is used in the treatment of coronavirus patients.
“The Union government has fixed the quota of Remdesivir vials to every State. However, most of the pharmaceutical companies are not supplying the vials as per the quantity allocated by the Centre," Tope told reporters over a Facebook live.
Of the total number of Remdesivir vials that the Indian government has received as part of the U.S. aid, Maharashtra has received 53,000 vials, he said adding that "It is the duty of the (Centre’s) Department of Pharmaceuticals to ensure that Maharashtra gets the supply of Remdesivir as mandated by the Centre."
Except Hetero Labs, no other pharmaceutical company is supplying Remdesivir as per the fixed quota, said Tope.
Meanwhile, to manage within the limited supply to vaccines and control the crowd at the vaccination centers, the Maharashtra government has decided to vaccinate beneficiaries from the 35-44 age group, health minister Rajesh Tope said on Friday.
Tope, through a Facebook live, said that the beneficiaries from the 18-34 age group will be administered doses after adequate supply is available.
The stock of vaccine is available in very limited form for vaccination of citizens above 45 years of age in the state and the Central Government should immediately supply vaccine to them, demanded the state Health Minister Rajesh Tope. Vaccines will be given to citizens above 45 years of age as soon as they become available.
"However, if the central government does not supply the vaccine on time, we will have to use the vaccine purchased by citizens between the ages of 18 and 44 for citizens above 45 years of age and there is no other option available to us, said Tope.
"The state is in dire need of oxygen, and we are trying to increase the supply of oxygen," Tope said. The state needs 1700 metric tons of oxygen. He said that it should be shared by the Center, adding that 53 metric tonnes is being produced from 38 plants in the state.
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