Govt caps price of Remdesivir: Health minister Harsh Vardhan

 

The Central government has capped the price of Remdesivir. The decision was taken in reference to the ongoing efforts for enhancement of availability and affordability of Remdesivir injection. After government intervention, major manufacturers, marketers of Remdesivir injection voluntarily reduced the maximum retail price (MRP).

Increasing supply of oxygen cylinders and Remdesivir in hospitals, adding ventilator stocks and enhanced supply of vaccine doses were issues raised by 11 states and union territories at a meeting convened by the Centre on Saturday, amid a spurt in coronavirus cases.

The high-level meeting was chaired by Union health minister Harsh Vardhan with the health ministers of 11 states and union territories to review measures taken by them for prevention, containment and management of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases.

The states, including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, have been reporting an unprecedented surge in new COVID cases.

In a statement, the health ministry said issues pertaining to augmenting the supply of oxygen cylinders, stepping up supply of Remdesivir in hospitals, adding to the ventilator stock, and enhanced supply of vaccine doses were raised by almost all the 11 states that participated in the meeting.