Amidst the prevailing COVID-19 crisis looming over the country, Chhattisgarh receives its first batch of 15,000 vials of Remdesivir injection by air on Friday morning.

The State had approached the Centre for help in means of antiviral drugs used for treating COVID-19 patients.

In response to the demand the centre dispatched a batch of Remdesivir injection to State.

The vials will be transported to the CGMSC storage centre from where the distribution to hospitals will be administered. Health Minister T S Singhdeo released a picture of the arrival of a consignment of Remdesivir injections at Raipur airport and tweeted, “earlier this morning 15,000 vials of Remsdesivir have reached Raipur airport. It has been sent to CGMSC godown for counting and storage. Distribution of the same will follow immediately and will be sent to hospitals.”

Remdesivir being an investigational therapy drug given in acute and severe versions of COVID-19 where oxygen support is a must, and to further address reports of shortages in certain regions of the country and facilitate smooth inter-state supply of Remdesivir, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in co-ordination with Department of Pharmaceuticals had made an interim allocation of Remdesivir for 19 States, including Chhattisgarh, for the period up to April 30, 2021.

Accordingly for Chhattisgarh the Centre has allocated 48,250 vials as an interim allocation of Remdesivir injection. This include 16,000 vials from Hetero, 20,000 vials from Mylan, 9,000 vials from Cipla, 2,000 vials from Jubilant and 1250 vials from

Dr Reddy’s. Accordingly, the first lot of 15,000 vials of Remdesivir injection reached the capital via air at Swami Vivekananda Airport. This initial allocation is dynamic and will be reviewed constantly to ensure all needs can be met within the available supplies.

Chhattisgarh logged 16,750 infections and 17,739 recuperations. Over all the state registered 1,21,555 active cases, out of which 18,749 are from Raipur. The state health bulletin recorded 207 deaths in the past 24 hours.