Ranchi hospitals get a lion’s share of Remdesivir stock - Hindustan Times
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Ranchi hospitals get a lion’s share of Remdesivir stock

Apr 22, 2021 09:20 AM IST

Ranchi-based private hospitals and nursing homes were alloted almost 698 vials out of the total 790 Remdesivir vials available.

While people and hospitals across the state have been demanding Remdesivir injections for Covid-19 patients, the bulk of it was reportedly being alloted to private hospitals and nursing homes in Ranchi alone, according to the state government’s allotment lists, raising the question as to how other patients would get the much-needed drug from.

About 90% of Remdesivir injection vials were sent to private hospitals and nursing homes based in Ranchi. (File Photo)
About 90% of Remdesivir injection vials were sent to private hospitals and nursing homes based in Ranchi. (File Photo)

As per the allotment lists of Tuesday and Monday this week, about 90% Remdesivir injection vials were sent to private hospitals and nursing homes based in Ranchi out of the total 330 vials of Cipla and 528 vials of Mylan on Monday, and 790 vials of Mylan on Tuesday.

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Ranchi-based private hospitals and nursing homes were alloted almost 698 vials out of the total 790 vials available on Tuesday.

Understandably, big Ranchi-based hospitals such as Medica was alloted 80 vials and 65 vials of Remdesivir injection vials on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Similarly, Samford Hospital got a total of 110 vials on Monday and Tuesday, Guru Nanak Hospital got 60 vials and Raj Hospital got 80 vials.

Similarly, Medanta Abdur Razzak Ansari Hospital got 30, Pulse Super Speciality Hospital got 75, Maa Ram Pyari SS Hospital got 32 and Health Point got 20 vials of Mylan brand Remdesivir on Tuesday among the highest allottees from Ranchi. According to available information, the consignment was expected to be delivered on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Adventist got 24 vials, Lake View got 26 and Jaslok got 30 vials on Monday.

Interestingly, Tata Main Hospital (TMH) - the biggest Covid-19 hospital in the state with 565 beds treating as many patients - was allotted only 75 vials of Mylan on Tuesday. TMH has 36 CCU beds and 22 ventilator beds.

It has witnessed 64 deaths during past six days.

“There is serious shortage of Remdesivir injections at TMH but we are managing somehow with Peramivir injections. We have, however, put in our requisition for Remdesivir injections with the state government authorities but has not received those yet,” Dr Rajan Chowdhury, Tata Steel medical advisor, said on Wednesday.

Dr Nirmal Drolia from Patliputra Nursing Home in Dhanbad said they only got two Remdesivir vials against requisition of 150 and was allotted 12 vials against requisition of 300 injections on Tuesday.

“We have not received the consignment yet. May be high demand and short of supply is the reason. But, we need to administer six vials per patient to complete the course of treatment, that is being defeated by such paltry allotment,” said Dr Drolia, adding that 39 Covid-19 patients were under treatment at the hospital presently.

Dr Rakshit Kumar from 111 Save Life Hospital in Adityapur said they have been allotted four vials against requisition of at least 12.

Asian Jalan Super Speciality Hospital with 27 Covid-19 patients in Dhanbad was allotted four vials against requisition of 40-50. Tata Motors Hospital was allotted 10 vials on Tuesday.

Hazaribagh Arogyam Hospital was allotted 28 vials, Hazaribagh Life Care 14 and Ajay Sudha Clinic in Deogarh was allotted 12 vials of Cipla on Monday. Uma Super Speciality Hospital on NH-33 in Jamshedpur was alotted four vials on Tuesday.

Remdesivir injection is not allowed to be sold by wholesalers or retailers in the open market. The Government of India has stipulated that Remdesivir injection will be routed to government hospitals through state missions under National Health Mission (NHM) while it will have to be routed through state drug controllers to private hospitals and nursing homes.

Once companies get allotment orders from drug controllers, they deliver injections to the hospitals concerned and collect payment.

‘Supply-demand is the root problem’

State drug controller Dr Ritu Sahay on Wednesday said the root of the problem was huge the gap between supply and demand.

She said most of the requisitions were hitherto from hospitals and nursing homes from Jharkhand, but they were now sending Remdesivir injections to other towns and cities.

“Tata Motors Hospital was allotted Remdesivir injection Tuesday for the first time,” she said.

“We fix the allotment order on the basis of the number of Covid-19 patients, number of Covid-19 patients on Remdesivir, and availability of vials. We are trying our best to rationalize the allotment as per the requisitions received. After we fix the allotment orders, it is sent to manufacturing companies concerned only after approval by a high-level committee. We are hoping against hope for things to improve from next week,” said Dr Sahay.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Debashish Sarkar is a special correspondent based in Jamshedpur. He has been covering government, administration, politics and crime among other things.

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