The Tiruppur branch of Indian Medical Association (IMA) recently wrote to the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) flagging the shortage of anti-viral drug Remdesivir used in the treatment for COVID-19 in private hospitals.
In the letter written on Friday, IMA Tiruppur secretary M.P. Senthilkumar said that around 20 private hospitals were treating COVID-19 patients in the district and that these hospitals were allegedly unable to purchase Remdesivir from private pharmaceutical companies. Noting that the drug was important for patients suffering from severe COVID-19 cases to prevent further worsening of their condition, Dr. Senthilkumar requested the TNMSC to provide Remdesivir injections to the private hospitals in Tiruppur district at the earliest.
Sources in the Health Department said the supply of the drug was prioritised to government hospitals. So far, there had been no instructions from the TNMSC for the government hospitals to share their Remdesivir injections with the private hospitals, the sources added.
Vaccine doses arrive
On Monday, Tiruppur district received 7,300 Covishield doses and 2,000 Covaxin doses for its vaccination drive. The newly-arrived Covaxin doses will be prioritised for patients awaiting its second dose in the district, according to the sources.
