The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and city government on the reason behind the scarcity of Remdesivir drug in the Capital when the medication was being widely prescribed for COVID-19 patients.
Justice Prathiba M. Singh said several companies in India were manufacturing the medicine and millions of vials of the drug must have been exported, “but we do not have enough to cater to our own patients”.
Change in guidelines
“Statistics show that shortage of the drug in Delhi is acute,” the High Court said as it directed the Centre, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) whether there has been any change in the guidelines with regard to administering Remdesivir.
The court also asked the Central government on what basis it was deciding how much of the drug was to be allocated to Delhi and whether anyone can directly approach the manufactures or suppliers for buying the medicine.
The court was hearing a plea by a lawyer who is suffering from COVID-19 and was able to get only three out of the six doses of Remdesivir required by him.
Acting on the lawyer’s plea, the court directed the Delhi government to ensure the lawyer gets the remaining three vials of the medicine by 9 p.m. tonight.
The court will hear the case again on April 28.