CHANDIGARH: Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Haryana and Punjab government are taking steps to stop black market sale of Covid-19 drugs like Remdesivir and Actemra in Delhi from these states.
These drugs, used in treatment of severe coronavirus cases, are being sold in the national capital at higher prices after being purchased in Gurugram. To check the black marketing, both states will now procure these drugs directly from authorised wholesalers only for tertiary care facilities at Covid hospitals.
Gurugram is the only place in NCR that has ensured a consistent supply of these drugs to critical Covid patients at MRP. Haryana has also made a database detailing the supply and demand of these drugs.
According to sources, state drug authorities have prepared data of medicines required as per patients admitted in the ICUs and on ventilators to keep a check on hoarding. 100 Remdesivir and 200 Actemra have been procured from CIPLA and have been stocked at a warehouse in Rohtak, they said.
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Narendra Ahooja, state drug controller of FDA Haryana, said, “Out of 4984 active patients, 81 patients are on oxygen and 11 are on ventilators. With these details, a fair assessment can be made for procurement to avoid black marketing.”
Punjab is also following a similar policy. “We are procuring Remdesivir for severe Covid patients and it would be supplied by the concerned companies to our warehouses. It will be further supplied to all tertiary care units at the three government medical colleges and other facilities in the state,” said Dr Avneet Kaur, Director of Health and Family Welfare.
“This medicine will be given to patients on the advice of an expert committee formed in each government facilities,” she said.
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