Over 9,000 vials of Remdesivir reach Indore, distributed to other cities in Madhya Pradesh

As many as 200 boxes containing 9,264 vials of Covid-19 drug Remdesivir injection on Thursday arrived at the Indore airport, which have been sent to different cities of the state.

Out of the total boxes, Indore, which is the nodal distribution of the state, received the highest number of 57 boxes.

As many as 42 boxes reached Bhopal in the afternoon, while Ratlam and Khandwa have received seven and four boxes respectively with help of choppers.

Furthermore, 19 boxes were sent to Gwalior and 18 to Riwa, Jabalpur and Sagar were rationed 39 and 14 boxes respectively.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said the state government has ordered a supply of 50,000 more injections.

"Yesterday, 10,000 injections had arrived which are being distributed. Private hospitals have been asked to procure Remdesivir injections from their own sources. We have ordered the supply of 50,000 more injections," Chouhan said.

Several states across the country are facing a severe shortage of the Covid-19 drug.

On Wednesday, the Centre has decided to increase the production of the Remdesivir in the country.

"The current total installed capacity of the seven manufacturers of Remdesivir is 38.80 lakh vials per month. Now fast-track approval has been given for the monthly production of around 80 lakh vials," Mandaviya told ANI yesterday.

Enforcement authorities of states and the central government have been directed by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to take immediate action on the incidence of black marketing of Remdesivir. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is also continuously monitoring the availability of Remdesivir, he informed.

Madhya Pradesh has 43,539 active Covid-19 cases in the state, while the death toll due to infection in the state has mounted to 4,261.