DGFT Bans Export of Remdesivir, API till Covid Situation Turns for the
Better
Officials
to monitor inventory to check hoarding, black-marketing
In the backdrop of the rapid rise in Covid-19 cases, the
Centre on Sunday imposed a ban on export of Remdesivir
injection and Remdesivir Active Pharmaceutical
Ingredients (API) till the Covid
situation improves. There are 11.08 lakh active cases and they are steadily
rising which has led to a sudden rise in demand for ‘Injection Remdesivir’ used in the Covid
treatment, according to a statement from the government.
Currently, seven Indian companies are producing Remdesivir injection and Remdesivir
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API). In a bid to provide easy access to
this injection, the government has advised all the domestic makers to display
on their website, details of their stockists/distributors.
The government will ensure that malpractices such as
hoarding and black marketing of these injections are curbed,
and for this purpose, the State health secretaries along with the drug
inspectors and other officers will verify the stock. Besides, the Department of
Pharmaceutical is in constant contact with the domestic manufacturers to ramp
up the production of Remdesivir.
Meanwhile, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to Punjab, Chandigarh and Maharashtra
to take appropriate measures to contain the spread of
the pandemic. The letters have been written based on
the feedback the Centre had received from the central teams deployed in these
States and UTs.
The Centre has highlighted the key areas in these
particular States where testing, treatment facilities, containment operations
and Covid appropriate behaviour,
among others, are sub-optimal. India reported the highest daily Covid-19 cases
on Sunday by crossing the 1.5-lakh mark.
Sharpest rise
This is the fifth consecutive day when the country
registered the sharpest rise in the pandemic cases, pushing the Sunday tally to
1,52,879 infections till 8:00 AM.
The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered
in the country has crossed 10 crore on Sunday with 10,15,95,147 shots given
till 7 AM. A total of 35,19,987 vaccine shots were
given on Sunday till 8 AM.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government held an urgent
meeting of the State Taskforce on Covid to discuss
measures to combat rising cases, including the possibility of a full lockdown
for one or two weeks.
Addressing media persons after the meeting, State Health
Minister Rajesh Tope said an appropriate decision regarding imposing a lockdown
will be taken after April 14.