Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: How times change? Last year, India was exporting critical anti-viral drug Remdesivir to several countries, including the US where then President Donald Trump had advocated its use in containing Covid-19. Now, India is importing the same drug: 450,000 vials, of which the first consignment of 75,000 will be reaching the country today (Friday).
The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers’ statement for this import from the US and Egypt came on a day India recorded over 386,000 new infections and 3,500 deaths in the past 24 hours. More than 18.7 million infections and 208,400 deaths due to the pandemic have been recorded so far in the country.
The Centre said HLL Lifecare Ltd, a Government of India owned company, has ordered import of 450,000 vials of Remdesivir from Gilead Sciences Inc., USA, and Eva Pharma, Egypt. Gilead Sciences will dispatch 75,000 to 100,000 vials soon. Another 100,000 vials will also be supplied by May 15. EVA pharma will supply approximately 10,000 vials initially, and then 50,000 vials every 15 days or till July.
The government has also ramped up the production capacity of Remdesivir. The production capacity of seven licensed domestic manufacturers increased from 38 lakh vials to 1.03 crore vials per month. In all, 13.73 lakh vials have been supplied across the country by the drug manufacturing companies in seven days, ended April 28. Daily supply has also gone up from 67,900 vials on April 11 to 2.09 lakh vials on April 28.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory to states and the Union Territories to facilitate smooth movement of Remdesivir supplies, it said.
Also, the government banned Remdesivir’s export to enhance its availability in India at the revised maximum retail price of up to Rs. 3,500 per vial. The Department of Revenue has exempted customs duty on Remdesivir injection, its API, and Beta cyclodextrin used in its manufacture, until October 31 this year.
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Thursday that over 40 countries will send vital medical aid, particularly oxygen supplies. Supplies from the US, Britain, Russia, the UAE, Qatar, Australia, and elsewhere include almost 550 oxygen-generating plants, more than 4,000 oxygen concentrators, 10,000 oxygen cylinders as well as 17 cryogenic tankers.
He said hundreds of thousands of doses of Covid-19 treatment drugs as well as raw materials to produce vaccines and Remdesivir, were also being sent. “It is an unprecedented situation,” Shringla said.
On Friday, the first US emergency aid to India arrived in New Delhi on Super Galaxy military transporter aircraft carrying more than 400 oxygen cylinders, other hospital equipment, and nearly one million rapid coronavirus tests.