To reduce the rising number of COVID-19 related deaths in the twin-city, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) had started offering vials of Remdesivir injection for patients undergoing treatment for the deadly infection at private hospitals in case of unavailability.
As per the lifesaving plan rolled out in accordance with revised treatment protocols recommended by the government for the management of hospitalised COVID-19 patients, the MBMC as a stop-gap arrangement to tackle shortage or unavailability started providing injections to private hospitals for emergency cases in the first week of September.
In the past two months, private hospitals have availed 375 injections (100 mg) on a loan basis to be replaced by an equal number of vials within a fortnight.
However, only 170 injections have cared to return the lifesaving drug, even as the MBMC awaits 205 replacements from eight private hospitals which have availed the facility but failed to return the vials, despite repeated reminders.
“We, have been requesting the hospital management's to return the injections, however eight hospitals are yet to return 205 vials. We have informed our higher-ups about it,” said a medico attached to the store department at MBMC’s dedicated COVID-19 care facility in Bhayandar.
“The scheme loan-basis is itself self-explanatory. The hospitals are supposed to make the replacements on time. We will issue notices to concerned hospitals,” confirmed deputy municipal commissioner Sambhajji Waghmare.
146 and 152 people had lost their lives due to the deadly infection in September and October respectively.
Presently, the MBMC, which procures Remdesivir at Rs. 2,182 (plus taxes) per vial of 100 mg, has a sufficient stock of around 1900 vials.
