Cut cost of anti-viral drug Remdesivir to around ₹1,200 in Maharashtra: Tope

As the crisis over the shortage of Remdesivir injection in Maharashtra continued on Monday, the state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that companies manufacturing the anti-viral drug should double the production. He also said that they should lower its price to around Rs1200- Rs1300. The Maharashtra government had in December last year fixed the price of Remdesivir injection at ₹2,360 a piece.

Earlier in the day, family members of several patients in Pune alleged that hospitals and COVID-19 care centers asked them to arrange the drug from chemist shops located outside. People, in large numbers, were seen staging a protest outside a chemist shop in the Shukrawar Peth area over the shortage of Remdesivir injection.

Owing to the shortage of Remdesivir injections in Pune city, the administration has issued a notification earlier stating that the drug will not be sold over-the-counter, according to a PTI report. Authorities have also started a new helpline for those who need Remdesivir.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday, meanwhile, directed Nagpur District Collector Ravindra Thackeray to distribute Remedesivirine injections to other districts of Vidarbha also, an ANI report said.

On Sunday, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray held a crucial meeting with the state's Covid-19 task force to discuss measures, including imposition of a lockdown in the state, to break the virus chain.

"Duration of the lockdown and how to handle its economic fallout was discussed during today's meeting. The task force is of the view that the prevailing coronavirus situation in the state is such that a lockdown is required," the minister said.

Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh, state Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte and others took part in the meeting.

After the meeting, state minister Aslam Sheikh said discussions are underway on various issues including availability of beds, use of Remdesivir and imposition of restrictions.

Thackeray is scheduled to hold consultations with the finance and other state departments on Monday and discussion will also take place in the cabinet meeting later this week.

The country's worst-affected state due to coronavirus reported reported 51,751 new COVID-19 cases and 258 deaths in the last 24 hours. With this, the state's tally has increases to 34,58,996, while the death toll has reached 58,245.

Of these, Mumbai has reported 6,905 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. The financial capital of the country has also recorded 43 deaths in the same time span.

(With inputs from agencies)