Company-wise supply plan of Remdesivir from April 21 to May 16 as per an official release by the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers on May 8.
Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 8
The combined allocation of antiviral drug Remdesivir to seven North East States excluding Assam was less than the single share for all other States in India, revealed the data released by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (MoC&F) on May 8. The antiviral drug is used in the treatment of COVID-19.
Seven NE States – Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura were allotted 2000 each while Assam was allocated 31,000, highlighted the company-wise allocation of the Remdesivir vials to States and Union Territories for April 21-May 16 period released by the Ministry.
The only other locations with 2000 vials were UTs of Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In other UTS, it ranged from 4000 to 13,000.
The lowest among the States other than the seven NE States was Himachal Pradesh at 24,000.
In case of Nagaland, the company allotted to supply the drugs is from India’s leading pharmaceutical company Cipla Ltd, which recently cut the price of its brand of Remdesivir injection (100 mg/vial) from Rs 4000 to Rs 3000.
The prices for other NE States ranged from Dr Reddy Laboratories’ Rs 2700 to Mylan Pharmaceutical Pvt Ltd’s Rs 3400.
According the MOHFW, Remdesivir is “an investigational therapy drug given in acute and severe versions of COVID-19 where oxygen support is a must.”
While it is not clear on what basis the States/UTs’ shares are determined, a MOHFW’s release on April 21 indicated that it is allocated to those locations where “where the high volume of supplies are being observed.”
Control Room set up by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) shall be responsible for monitoring the operations as per the allocations, it added.
Another release from the MoC&F on May 7 informed that the Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda announced the allocation of Remdesivir made upto May 16 “considering the requirement of Remdesivir in every state and ensuring its adequate availability.”
This will ensure smooth supply of Remdesivir across country so that no patient face difficulty in this pandemic time, the Minister was quoted as saying.
This is in continuation of the allocation plan of Remdesivir drug for the April 21 to May 9, communicated earlier to all States by Department of Pharmaceuticals and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the release said.
State governments/UTs have been advised to place adequate purchase orders with the marketing companies immediately, if they have not already done so, for the quantity that they want to purchase out of allocation for the State/UT as per supply chain in close coordination with liaison officers of the companies, it added.
While the number of allocation remains the same, the May 8 update from the Ministry gave the company-wise supply plan of Remdesivir for the April 21-May 16 period.
The plan has been prepared in consultation with the marketing companies. The companies have been instructed to ensure timely supplies to all states/ UTs strictly as per the supply plan, it said.
This is in continuation to the allocation of Remdesivir to States/UTs done yesterday.
