Maharashtra government fixes rate of Remdesivir injection at ₹2,360 at private hospitals

Following complaints of overcharging, the Maharashtra government on Friday decided to fix rates for Remdesivir injection 100mg vial at ₹2,360 at private hospitals.

Following complaints of overcharging, the Maharashtra government on Friday decided to fix rates for Remdesivir injection 100mg vial at ₹2,360 at private hospitals. It has also decided to identify one private medical store in each district across the state where the injection – considered effective in Covid-19 treatment – will be made available.

HT Image

The state has already made Remdesivir free for Covid-19 patients getting treated at government hospitals.

“There were complaints from all parts of the state over private hospitals or chemists charging exorbitant rates for Remdesivir injections. To make them available at affordable rates, the state government has decided that a 100mg vial of Remdesivir will be available at ₹2,360,” said Dr Pradeep Vyas, principal secretary, Maharashtra health department.

With the help of the food and drugs administration (FDA), the government has also identified a private chemist in each district to provide the drug. In all, 59 such medical stores have been identified. Of them, five are in Mumbai, 13 in Pune, 10 in Konkan region, nine in Nashik, 11 in Aurangabad, six in Nagpur and five in Amravati.

Earlier, the government had capped rates for masks, Covid-19 tests, treatment at private hospitals and cost of ambulances run by private operators.