Hyderabad: Covid patients kin toil to get life-saving drugs

Kukatpally: With many hospitals still facing shortage of Remdesivir, helpless kin of Covid-19 patients flocking to the pharma retail outlet at Moosapet in Kukatpally. In wake of the rising demand for the injection few pharmacists are selling the drug at exorbitant price. The price of the life-saving drug touched a maximum of Rs 40,000.

From past two days, more than 500 people are regularly queueing up at the retail outlet to get their hands on the drug. Noticing which, police personnel have been deployed to ensure people follow social distancing norms.

A few people standing for hours in the queue have alleged that while they are trying to get the drug, they have come across persons indulging in black-marketing of this key drug used in the treatment of Covid-19. They blamed the State Government for failing to help people in difficult times.

Though, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has issued strict orders to the officials to take action against those indulging in the sale of Remdesivir in the black market.

Till date the police officials have arrested 20 people in the City for black-marketing drugs related to the novel corona virus disease, recently seven persons were held for the illegal procurement and sale of the drugs at exorbitant prices.

The drugs are being sold in the black market for as much as Rs 30,000 a dose, compared with the maximum retail price of Rs 5,400.

According to police officials, some people are illegally procuring and selling generic versions of Remdesivir vials on high price in the black market. They say that these vials are being used for antiviral medicine for Covid-19 patients.

"The accused persons are not issuing any bills on the purchase of vials and illegally making profits," said an investigation officer. In the recent case on Monday, the Hyderabad City Police has seized 12 Remdesivir injections from three accused persons under Begumpet police station limits.

M Ravi, a resident of Malkajgiri, who was found waiting in the queue to get Remdesivir for his father undergoing treatment in a private hospital, said that when he was looking for the drug he had been introduced to some unidentified persons belonging to pharmacy staff.

"I came in contact with a pharmacy staff of a private hospital, promising me that he would supply the drug for Rs 19,000, but I could not afford that much amount so I had to wait here at the Hetero outlet in Moosapet to get the drug at the MRP rate," alleged Ravi.

A few men had to take the task of managing the crowds as the alleged police were not helping. A man trying to control the situation said no tokens were issued today which is making matters worse, last time tokens were issued between 6 am to 7 am to get the drug.

Some have been waiting for hours, some waited on the sidelines fearing they would contract Covid-19 as soon as the gates of the outlet were opened people barged in. After which police personnel had to physically hold back people forcefully trying to enter the outlet.

Meanwhile, shortage of the drug was observed in several private hospitals of the city. The Telangana Chemists and Druggists Association members told The Hans India that stocks of the drug were sold out by the first week of April.

Meanwhile, the State Drug Control Administration has decided that the drug will only be supplied directly to the hospitals and will not be sold at medical stores to avoid black marketing.