Centre To Ramp Up Remdesivir Production To 74 Lakh Units Per Month From May

The home ministry has asked the states and Union territories to ensure seamless supply and transport of Remdesivir, used for the treatment of COVID-19.

The production of life-saving Remdesivir injection used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients and is currently in scarcity in the country, will be augmented to 74 lakh units by next month from 38.80 lakh units now, the home ministry said. The ministry also asked the states and Union territories (UTs) to ensure seamless supply and transport of Remdesivir. Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, in a letter to chief secretaries of all states and Union territories (UTs) on Thursday, also conveyed that there will be interim allocation and supply of the life-saving injection to the states/UTs from April 21 to April 30. Mr Bhalla said a monitoring mechanism has been set up under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers through the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) and the Drugs Controller General of India for monitoring and coordinating the supply of COVID-19 drugs on a daily basis, with pharmaceutical associations, manufacturing companies and state governments.