Remdesivir import: Jharkhand seeks Centre's nod to import antiviral drugs from Bangladesh

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday informed that the state government has sought help from Bangladesh to import the drug Remdesivir for 50,000 vials for emergency use. With an increasing number of COVID-19 cases and decreasing availability of the drug, the Jharkhand Government reached out to pharma companies in Bangladesh. The drug is used to treat critical COVID-19 patients. 

CM Hemant Soren has written to union minister DV Sadanand Gowda for permission of import. 

In the two-page letter, CM Hemant Soren wrote that the state is experiencing a massive shortage of the drug. He also wrote that contrary to the assumptions that vaccine and herd immunity will prevent the spread of the virus, currently a large number of patients are showing critical symptoms. The CM added that due to the shortage of Remdesivir the recovery rate is falling and the fatality rate is increasing. The state started witnessing the shortage at the beginning of this month, according to CM Hemant Soren. 

50,000 vials of Remdesivir from Bangladesh

The Chief Minister in his letter mentioned that since Indian manufacturers could not meet the demand of the state, officials started exploring foreign companies. A quotation from Bangladesh's BEXIMCO has reached Jharkhand with a cost of one million dollars. The Jharkhand Government is ready to procure the cost and approve the quotation for the medicine. 

Jharkhand COVID-19 cases

Another single-day spike in COVID-19 cases in Jharkhand with 3,992 fresh cases with more than 28000 active cases in last 24 hours. The state, on Sunday, recorded 50 deaths taking the toll to 1,456. 17 fatalities were reported from East Singhbhum alone followed by Ranchi with 11. The capital city of Ranchi is reporting highest number of fresh cases that on Sunday stood at 1,073 infections. Meanwhile, the vaccination process is also in full swing in the state with 35,855 total inoculations on Sunday.