Maharashtra is the most affected state in the country and has a mortality rate of 3.8% (representational)
Mumbai:
Maharashtra has placed orders for the purchase of life-saving experimental COVID-19 drugs, including Remdesivir and Tocilizumab, in order to stop the black marketing of the drugs in a context of constantly increasing cases of coronavirus. The state faces a serious shortage of these drugs due to the high demand. Seven people were arrested on Sunday for allegedly selling Remdesivir at Rs 30,000 per bottle – which is several times the maximum retail price.
According to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), the government of Maharashtra has placed orders worth 20 crore rupees for its public hospitals and all other establishments designated by the government COVID-19. All of these institutions will be able to buy drugs from the government at reasonable prices.
The medical profession said that the state government had purchased 60,000 vials of Remdesivir at Rs 3,392 each – the current market price is Rs 5,400 per vial. 20,000 bottles of Tocilizumab, another life-saving drug, were ordered at Rs 30,870 each – where the current price is above Rs 40,000. About 6 80,000 tablets of Favipiravir were ordered at Rs 58 per tablet – the current price is close to Rs 80 per tablet.
Three companies – Cipla, Mylan Laboratories and Hetero Labs will sell Remdesivir and Tocilizumab, while Glenmark Pharma will sell Favipiravir.
Dr. Lahane, head of DMER, Maharashtra, said: “We have these drugs at very competitive prices. They are the lowest prices in the country. And with that, we think that the black marketing of these drugs will be curbed. “
Maharashtra police are trying to stop the black marketing of medicines.
“We understand that some people are selling Remdesivir, which is a life-saving drug and which is currently in high demand. They are on the black market for these drugs and sell them at prices 5 times the current MRP price”, said Akbar Pathan, DCP, Crime Branch Mumbai.
Maharashtra is the most affected state in the country and has a mortality rate of 3.8%, well above the national average – 2.5%.
On average, Maharashtra adds more than 7,000 cases per day. The demand for these drugs is expected to increase further.
According to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra, with more than 1.5 lakh of active cases, needs 10,000 doses of vital injections per day.
