Mumbai: Despite Centre’s announcement of providing 4,35,000 Remdesivir vials for the period of April 21 to 30, which is 40,000 vials against 26,000 vials per day, the Maharashtra Minister of Food and Drugs Administration Dr Rajendra Shingane said the state is getting only 22,500 vials as on Monday. The shortfall is increasing.
‘’The Centre last week announced an increase in the allocation of Remdesivir vials which is a total of 4,35,000 injections for the period of April 21 and 30. That means a daily allocation of 40,000 vials against 26,000 vials made recently. However, the state government has yet to receive the Remdesivir as per the revised allocation as it is still getting about 22,500 vials which are too inadequate to meet the rising demand. The state government has repeatedly urged the Centre to supply 70,000 vials a day in the wake of burgeoning demand amid galloping Covid-19 patients,’’ said Dr Shingane.
He said the Centre should release more Remdesivir vials in addition to what was announced last week. He recalled that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray during a video conference chaired by PM Modi had argued that the state should be provided the drug as per its requirements. CM had said that the state should get Remdesivir supply based on the number of patients it has.
As far as the availability of oxygen is concerned, Dr Shingane said the state government has already declared that 1,250 MT of oxygen produced in Maharashtra will be allocated for medical use.
He added that the district collectors have been asked to see that the industrial units are generating medical oxygen in their respective districts as the demand is increasing.
