Odisha Hospitals Face Acute Shortage Of Remdesivir Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is facing acute shortage of Remsidivir injections in all government and private hospitals due to its heavy demand following  a surge in COVID-19 cases.

According to Drugs Controller, Odisha Annada Shankar Das, the Centre which distributes Remdesivir vials to the states, has informed Odisha government that it will provide 21,000 vials of Remdesivir between April 21 and 30.

“The state receives Remdesivir vials every day. Against the requirement of 2,000 vials on Monday, the state had received only 92 vials,” he added.

Das further said while the Directorate of Drug Controller, Odisha supplies Remdesivir to private hospitals, the Odisha State Medical Corporation (OSMC) supplies the medicine to the government hospitals. However, there is no provision to supply this drug to any private medicine outlets.

Referring to the availability of Fabiflu medicines, the Drugs Controller said there is enough stock of this drug in the state. “We have identified 1,120 private medicine outlets including 40 in Bhubaneswar and allowed them to sell Fabiflu medicines,” he pointed out.

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Talking to the media on condition of anonymity, a senior staff of a private hospital in Bhubaneswar said Remdesivir has proved to be a life-saving drug for critical COVID patients. As per the medical specifications, a critical patient should be given six doses of Remdesivir. But, as the number of patients is rising rapidly, there is an acute shortage of this drug, he said.

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