Cardiologist C.N. Manjunath has favoured the use of antiviral drug remdesivir in the treatment of moderately sick COVID-19 patients.
His recommendation comes even after a World Health Organisation (WHO) study indicated that remdesivir appeared to have little or no effect on 28-day mortality or in-hospital course of COVID-19 among hospitalised patients.
Participating in a virtual panel discussion on Infectious Diseases Control organised by e-Health magazine published by Elets Technomedia recently, Dr. Manjunath, who is also the Director of state-run Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, said the expert pulmonologists in the State strongly felt that remdesivir is effective when it is given at the “right time to the right patient”.
He described as “quite satisfactory” the experience of seven renowned pulmonologists, who are also part of the State’s Expert Committee on COVID-19 treatment. These pulmonologists treat hundreds of patients on a daily basis, Dr. Manjunath said.
However, he emphasised that the antiviral drug should be given to patients before they turn “extremely sick”.
About 300 people in Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research in Bengaluru too had tested positive and 30 of them were very sick. The patients were treated with a combination of remdesivir and other drugs. Fortunately, there was no mortality and all of them recovered.
Also, Dr. Manjunath said the cost of the antiviral drug has been reduced since June-July along with other consumables.
Contending that the healthcare scenario in the State was progressing positively, Dr. Manjunath said physicians engaged in the treatment of COVID-19 now have confidence that most of the infected patients will recover as about 90% of the positive cases had been cured on their own or through simple treatment. According to a study, Dr. Manjunath said about 8% required oxygen.
He also made out a case for paying parallel attention to non-COVID-19 cases. “We are talking only about COVID-19, but a lot of non-COVID patients too are suffering today,” he said while pointing out that a study had indicated that several people were dying due to cardiac and renal issues.
