Not only family members or relatives of covid-19 are suffering the shortage of Remdevisir injections across the cities. But doctors too are running across to get the injections for their family members. We spoke with Dr. Iftekhar Shaikh 54, an BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery) who owns his Afifa Unani clinic in Kalyan said, "My wife Shamim Banu 47, had a fever and cough. So I went through a ct scan and found 30 percent involvement of symptoms in lungs. Family friends suggested that I admit her, but she was not ready as she was fine. We went to covid centre and found beds were not available in the city. So we admitted her to a private hospital in Nerul," added Shaikh, further saying, "The doctors started the treatment and asked for 7 remdevisir injections. On Friday, first I roamed around all medicals and was irritated listening to no. Then I started contacting my sources in the medical field. On Saturday someone told me, it's available in Bhiwandi. So I went to Bhiwandi and returned empty handed. Then I was suggested to go to Masina Hospital in Mumbai through a reference. When I reached the refer contact was not ready to attend the call. I kept roaming around for hours asking him, but again left empty handed. Again someone asked me to come to Bhiwandi, but that too just wasted time. With the help of relatives and friends I arranged four injections. Being a doctor, if I had to suffer, what about a common man? ," added Shaikh.
Mehtab Ahmed, a Kalyan resident received a call from his friend in Nashik for requirement of remdevisir injection. Ahmed's friend Manoj Pagare 46 and his wife Rushali Pagare are admitted in a private hospital near Datta Mandir in Nashik. Manoj works as an accountant in a medical company. "Manoj gave me a call on Sunday morning. That both husband and wife are undergoing treatment and his wife is a bit serious. He said in Nashik his friends and relatives had searched everywhere but havent found the injections. After his call I contacted all my sources and found the same situation in the twin city," added Ahmed
A frontline worker working at one of the covid centres of KDMC said, "The remdevisir injections are only available at government covid centres. But due to shortage of beds, patients are requested to get shifted to private hospitals. The private hospital during treatment prescribes the injection. After roaming around medicals, the relatives or family members are said that it's only available in covid centres. He keeps requesting, begging and sometimes even threatening to get the injection. But we have to counsel him as it's only for the patients admitted in the covid centres," he added.
Iftikar Khan, the former corporator from KDMC has written a letter and mailed it to Uddhav Thackeray the Chief Minister of Maharashtra explaining the present situation for shortage of injections. In the letter requested the government to make arrangements for injections before announcing lockdown. The family and relatives of covid-19 patients are in a panic situation. "If remdevisir injections are helping in treating the patients why the government is delaying it making its arrangement. The doctor's at private hospital's just give prescriptions demanding 2 or 5 or 7 injections. Hardly a single medical had its availability. Then standing in a queue for hours in soaring heat, which also results in shortage. Being active in the social field we are getting calls every 2 hours for the requirement of the injection. We even get calls from Nashik, Pune and other states for such requirements. The shortage is not only in Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan," added Khan.
Khan further added, "We request the Chief minister and the team to make the injection available first. And further announced or imposed a lockdown in the state for 8 days or 15 days. Or else if doctor's will keep giving prescriptions for it. And the family members and relatives will keep roaming around," he added saying every lockdown is creating panic. "Last time for food and this time for injections. Many people died of hypertension and stress, as what will happen tomorrow more than covid-19,"he added.
