JAIPUR: While incidents of black marketing of Remdesivir and other drugs and oxygen have come into light, the doctors are now alleging that the other medical consumables such as gloves, masks are now being sold at higher prices.
On the reports, the health department constituted four-member committee in Jaipur which will work to prevent any black marketing of oxygen and Remdesivir and other medicines such as Tocilizumab and Favipiravir.
The four-member committee will conduct inspections at hospitals, drug suppliers and stockists and check the records and stock of the medicines, said Raghu Sharma, health minister.
The escalation of serious Covid-19 patients in hospitals for effective clinical management has also resulted in an increase in the demand of Remdesivir which is an investigational therapy drug given in acute and severe versions of Covid-19 where oxygen support is a must.
Its rising demand may increase black marketing incidents in the city. For the purpose of preventing such incidents, the committee has been formed.
Health secretary Siddharth Mahajan said that the team comprise of Dinesh Kumar Taneja, Komal Roochandani and Manish Kumar Modi from drug controller department and one member of Rajasthan Pharmacy Council, Navin Saanghi.
The team will inspect into the complaints of black marketing of medical oxygen and medicines.
Due to rising number of Covid-19 patients, a private hospital in the city, which is treating Covid-19 patients, appealed to other hospitals to lend the hospital cylinders, bi pap, ventilators. “We are ready to pay a reasonable rent. Safety of your equipment is my guarantee,” says the officials of the hospital.
While reports say that Remdesivir is being sold in black market due to short supply, the Centre has declared that it will supply 26,500vials of Remdesivir from April 1 to April 30.
“Prices of consumables such as gloves, masks have gone up. Government should ensure easy availability of such items and drugs to private hospitals. In such pandemic times, black marketing of drugs should be prevented,” said Dr Tarun Patni, president, Jaipur Medical Association.
