JKMSCL fails to meet demand, COVID patients suffer
Suhail Bhat
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Apr 28: With COVID-19 cases rising sharply in the Union Territory, the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and all leading Government hospitals in the Valley are facing acute shortage of Remdesivir, an emerging drug that is being used in treating the patients affected by the virus.
During last five days, the J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) failed to meet the demand of the GMC Jammu and supplied 317 Remdesivir injections less than the requirement, thus, badly affecting treatment of the COVID positive patients.
On 26th and 27th April, the JKMSCL supplied 266 injections less than the requirement to the GMC Jammu.
Doctors said the GMC Jammu was supplied just 50 Remdesivir injections on April 26, which were short by 130 while on April 27, the Corporation provided only 80 injections, short by 133.
Shortage of Remdesivir in the GMC Jammu was 31 injections on April 25, seven on April 24 and six on April 28.
Shortage of Remdesivir has been badly affecting treatment of the COVID positive patients,” the doctors said and charged the JKMSCL with lackadaisical approach in meeting the demand.
Meanwhile, all the major Government hospitals including Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital (SMHS), and Chest and Diseases Hospital (CD Hospital) of the Valley are grappling with the shortage of this antiviral drug with helpless patients turning to Social Media for help.
The doctors cannot prescribe the drug despite being approved for emergency use among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. “This is a vital drug as it has shown promise as a treatment for the disease. The other drugs are not proving that effective,” a doctor working in COVID designated hospital in Srinagar said. He added the drug has dried up from the market, making it harder for the patients to get it.
On Monday, a frantic patient admitted in Ward No 2 of the SKIMS hospital posted an SOS request on social media. “Patient admitted at SKIMS needs Remdesivir immediately,” he wrote on Twitter. He got the drug with the help of Srinagar Mayor, Junaid Matoo, after waiting for a complete day.
A 63-year-old woman, who is admitted at Srinagar’s Chest and Disease hospital, shared a similar message on Social Media but was yet to get the drug. “Need immediate Remdesivir injection for COVID-19 patient. Please help,” she wrote on Twitter.
Since last week, Social Media is flooded with such messages as the drug has not only disappeared from the hospitals but also markets of the Valley. “I searched almost all the markets of the Valley, but it is not available. I am ready to buy it at any cost from the market because it is the only drug working with COVID patients,” a relative of one of the COVID-19 positive patients said.
Medical Superintendent SKIMS, Farooq Jan admitted that there was a shortage of drugs in the hospital. “It is currently unavailable, but we are expecting it soon,” he said.
The supply of other hospitals has also exhausted. “We had it until yesterday. We are expecting it today or tomorrow,” Naveed Shah, Medical Superintendent, Chest and Diseases Hospital told Excelsior.
Managing Director of the J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) Dr Yashpal Sharma told Excelsior that the shortage was throughout the country as its production had stopped for some reasons. “Now the manufacturing has resumed, we will receive around 10,500 vials from two companies,” he said.
He added that they have received this month’s allotment of around 1000 vials for Jammu and Kashmir each. “The drugs will arrive in the Valley in the next few days. Presently, we have around 50-60 vials available in Kashmir,” he said,
He said authorities have banned the availability of drug from the market to ensure people do not misuse it. “They are stocking medicines at home. They cannot use this drug at home, it can be used in very sick patients that too in a hospital set up,” he said. He added the drug can be only kept at category-A hospitals wherein ICU and ventilator facilities are available, “Only Medical Colleges have been authorities to receive its supply,” he said.
As per officials, the Drug Controller General of India has designated Remdesivir as an institutional supply the only drug in view of the emerging COVID situation and a quota of 10,500 vials per week have been fixed for J-K by GoI. However, the Government should increase the quota in view of the increases in COVID-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir.
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