Facing shortage of 20K Remdesivir injections: Maharashtra FDA minister

The state is facing a shortage of 18,000 to 20,000 vials of Remdesivir injections daily, according to Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) minister Rajendra Shingne, adding the pressure is due to the increase in the number of new Covid-19 cases

The state is facing a shortage of 18,000 to 20,000 vials of Remdesivir injections daily, according to Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) minister Rajendra Shingne, adding the pressure is due to the increase in the number of new Covid-19 cases.

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Most researches have shown Remdesivir, made affordable by India’s generics companies, and expensive by a thriving black market, to be largely ineffective in the treatment of the viral disease. “We need at least 60,000 doses of Remdesivir daily and are currently facing a shortage of 18,000 to 20,000 doses daily. Our problem is the number of patients is increasing daily,” said Shingne.

He pushed for a mini lockdown in the state. “This will serve to reduce the number of patients and hence the pressure on this injection will decrease,” said Shingne.

State health minister Rajesh Tope said the situation will improve in the coming days. “Five companies are producing Remdesivir injections and their production is being ramped up. In addition, we will give pharmaceutical companies in Maharashtra the permission to sub-contract the production of this injection,” said Tope.

The situation in the state at ground level remains grim as relatives are frantically searching for injections. “My husband suffered from pneumonia apart from Covid-19 and we were told to get six vials of Remdesivir. We arranged two from a medical store in Dharavi, the next two were available at a medical store in Kalyan. We were lucky as the hospital arranged for the rest. We had to spend days to get them and we suffered lot of tension and stress,” said Sarika Mishra, whose husband was admitted to a private hospital at Malad.

M H Saboo Siddique Hospital Medical at Bhendi Bazar received 200 vials on Saturday, which were exhausted within two hours. “More than 500 patients lined up for the injection, but we could not accommodate all,” said Owais Maniyar, owner of the medical store.