Notwithstanding the government’s lofty claims of measures to streamline sales of remdesivir vials in the state, stocks worth lakhs rupees have been illegally sold daily.
Officials from the Department of Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E), the Drug Control Administration (DCA), the police and the Department of Medicine and Health, who raided some COVID hospitals, discovered many irregularities in the past two days .
“Out of nine hospitals we checked, we found that around 160 vials of remdesivir were misused in four. In some hospitals, management has been harassing patients with £ 3,000 and more for oxygen supply and a large amount of patients for admitting patients, ”a vigilance and law officer said.
Guntur Urban and Vijayawada Police found that Remdesivir vials had been sold for £ 40,000 each on several occasions. They arrested two doctors, nurses, medical representatives, and other hospital staff for illegally marketing the drug.
V&E general manager KV Rajendranath Reddy said the management of some hospitals had tampered with patient records, prescribed remdesivir injections and redirected them for others. In some hospitals the injections were missing, the DG said.
“We urge hospital management not to unnecessarily pull remdesivir stocks, misuse them and cause problems for patients in need. The raids will continue to prevent illegal sales of the injections, ”Reddy said.
Increased vigil
The Director General of Police (DGP) D. Gautam Sawang said the vigil has been stepped up to investigate the black marketing of Remdesivir. Strict measures are being taken against those who try to take advantage of the situation, the DGP warned.
“We monitor hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, hospital staff, RMPs, PMPs, as well as medical dealers and agents. Our decoy parties are moving to COVID hospitals and interacting with attendants to prevent middlemen and fraud, ”said Guntur Urban Superintendent of Police RN Ammireddy.
“Employees of some hospitals, nurses, ANMs, pharmacists and medical representatives are hoarding Remdesivir vials and trying to sell them on the black market. We urge doctors to keep an eye on their staff and not indulge in irregularities during the time of crisis, ”said SP M. Ravindranath Babu, Krishna District.
SP K. Narayan Naik, West Godavari District, said all steps have been taken to control illegal transport of remdesivir, which is in demand, from neighboring states.