Notwithstanding the tall claims being made by the government over the measures taken to streamline the sale of Remdesivir vials in the State, stocks worth lakhs of rupees were being sold illegally every day.
Officials of the Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E), Drug Control Administration (DCA), Police and Medical and Health Department, who conducted raids on a few COVID hospitals, found many irregularities in the last two days.
“Out of nine hospitals verified, we found misuse of about 160 Remdesivir vials in four. In some hospitals, the managements were fleecing the patients by collecting ₹3,000 and above for oxygen supply and a huge amount from patients for giving admissions,” said a Vigilance and Enforcement officer.
The Guntur Urban and Vijayawada police found that Remdesivir vials were sold at ₹40,000 each in different cases. They arrested two doctors, nurses, medical representatives and other hospital staff for black-marketing the drug.
V&E Director General K.V. Rajendranath Reddy said the managements of some hospitals tampered with the case sheets of patients and prescribed Remdesivir injections and diverted them for others. In some hospitals, the injections were missing, the DG said.
“We request the hospital managements not to draw Remdesivir stocks unnecessarily, misuse them and create trouble to the needy patients. The raids will continue to prevent illegal sale of the injections,” Mr. Reddy said.
Increased vigil
Director General of Police (DGP) D. Gautam Sawang has said that the vigil has been stepped up to check black-marketing of Remdesivir. Stern action will be taken against those who try to take advantage of the situation, the DGP warned.
“We are keeping a vigil at hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, on hospital staff, RMPs, PMPs and medical distributors and representatives. Our decoy parties are moving at COVID hospitals and interacting with the attendants to prevent middlemen and cheating,” said Guntur Urban Superintendent of Police R.N. Ammireddy.
“Employees of some hospitals, nurses, ANMs, pharmacists and medical representatives are hoarding Remdesivir vials and are trying to sell them on black market. We request doctors to keep a watch on their staff and not to indulge in irregularities during the crisis period,” said Krishna district SP M. Ravindranath Babu.
West Godavari district SP K. Narayan Naik said that all steps have been taken to check illegal transportation of Remdesivir, which is in demand, from the neighbouring States.
