Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said that the country is facing shortage of Remdesivir because its production was reduced as COVID-19 cases were decreasing. Our drug controller and ministry held a meeting with stakeholders and asked manufacturers to strengthen the production.
He further added that Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) has directed for strict action into any complaint of black marketing of Remdesivir. Those who are exploiting people & creating artificial shortage of medicine, strict action should be taken against them.
COVID-19 cases are increasing in India every passing day, but Private hospitals are facing problems in treating patients due to shortage of Remdesivir injections. Remdisivir is reportedly being sold between Rs 2,400-6,000. The injection is being sold in black market at even higher prices.
Notably, the Centre government on Sunday (April 11) prohibited exports of injection Remdesivir and Remdesivir Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) till the Covid-19 situation in the country improves.
India's daily new cases continue to rise as 1,84,372 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours.
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthan have shown a rise in the COVID daily new cases and 82.04 per cent of the new cases are reported from these 10 states.
Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 60,212 followed by Uttar Pradesh with 17,963 while Chhattisgarh reported 15,121 new cases.