Bihar battles Remdesivir shortage

PATNA Advendra Prasad Sinha (56) is battling with Covid-related infections at one of the private hospitals in Patna, where doctors prescribed him Remdesivir, an anti-viral drug

PATNA

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Advendra Prasad Sinha (56) is battling with Covid-related infections at one of the private hospitals in Patna, where doctors prescribed him Remdesivir, an anti-viral drug. He got four vials, but for the last two days, his family is facing problem in getting two more, so crucial for his recovery. “When we went to purchase the medicine today at the hospital’s medicine counter, the pharmacist pleaded that the government has not yet supplied the quota,” said Sinha’s younger brother, a government servant.

“Ramesh Pankaj, a senior member of Chatra Yuva Sangarsh Vahini and 1974 student movement, is admitted at a private nursing home at Muzaffarpur. He somehow managed to get Remdesivir, in black,” said Kanchan Bala, a social activist.

The state’s health department claimed 1200 vials of the much-sought after injection was to reach the state capital by Monday night. “A committee, headed by drug controller, will ensure its proper distribution,” said Manoj Kumar, special secretary and executive director of Bihar State Health Society on Monday.

Kumar said the government on Sunday ordered 50,000 vials of Remdesivir from a company and the consignment would arrive within a week.

While the oxygen supply to government hospitals has improved a bit, private hospitals continued to reel under the crisis. “The situation will ease further in a a day or two as districts where oxygen plants are situated have been asked to supply to all neighbouring districts rather than bank on the state capital,” said Kumar.

In the absence of oxygen, many private hospital have put the signboard of “No Oxygen” , while others have put placards about lack of beds.

Amid surging cases of Covid-19 infection, an oxygen plant was set up at Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on Monday. It has a capacity to supply 45 cylinders per day. The oxygen plant will cater to the requirement of DMCH.

Another oxygen bottling plant has also started functioning at Begusarai also.

Bihar reported 7,487 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, of them 2,672 cases in Patna alone.