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Remdesivir supply catching up with demand backlog as demand marginally drops
PUNE While the demand for Remdesivir has marginally reduced in Pune district, as per the district administration, supply of the drug is still not adequate
PUNE While the demand for Remdesivir has marginally reduced in Pune district, as per the district administration, supply of the drug is still not adequate.
As per officials of the district administration, in the second week of April, 80 per cent of hospitalised patients needed the injection. This has come down to 58 per cent, as of Tuesday.
“Now, per day demand is for 16,000-18,000 injections. Whatever supply we are getting is being distributed to hospitals in accordance with bed capacity. As supply is not meeting demand, there is a backlog,” said Vijay Deshmukh, Pune’s additional collector.
From April 11, the Pune collector’s office prohibited the retail sale of the anti-viral drug and began a centralised distribution from a control room in the collector’s office.
On April 15, district officials cited the requirement of Remdesivir injections as being 45,000. According to a press statement issued by the district collectorate, 53,900 Remdesivir injections have been distributed till April 26.
Remdesivir side effects? Not in Pune, say docs
As demand for Remdesivir is still high, the administration the asked doctors to prescribe the drug judicially.
Speaking to reporters, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said, “Doctors should prescribe the anti-viral drug only to those who require it instead of giving it to everyone. It has come to our notice that Remdesivir has some side effects. Which is why, we are saying it should be prescribed judiciously.”
Doctors, however, said no major side effects have been reported in Pune so far.
“As of today, there are no post-recovery effects seen from Remdesivir. It is not given to patients below 12 years of age, or to those who have the liver or kidneys in a compromised condition,” said Dr Avinash Bondwe, immediate past president (Maharashtra), Indian Medical Association.
