The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has been providing its employees with Remdesivir, even though there happens to be a known shortage of the drug in the market.
Earlier, a 57-year-old driver from Vashi was admitted to the NMMC hospital on June 30. Even though the local authorities could not provide for Remdesivir, the BEST arranged for the drug in order for the treatment to proceed effectively. Doctor Anil Kumar Singhal, the Chief Medical Officer of BEST, speaking to the media further stated that BEST has an emergency stock of Remdesivir which it plans to use for the treatment of its staffers.
Remdesivir happens to be one of the leading drugs in the fight against coronavirus. After long extensive trials, the makers have got the go-ahead from the FDA for the usage of the drug in the treatment of COVID-19. It is an antiviral drug which works by copying the coronavirus's genetic make-up, the RNA and slows down replication. It happens to be the first drug approved by licensing authorities in the US to treat the patients suffering from COVID-19. Lab trials by scientists have shown that the drug has also been successful in fighting against Ebola in the past.
According to media reports, Mumbai, like Bangalore and Delhi, is facing an acute shortage of life-saving drugs like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab. Mumbai’s hospitals get the medication directly from the manufacturer, though some of it is imported. Additionally, two individual distributors in the city, S K Distributors and Byculla Pharmacy and Stores, also receive the supply of the medications from the manufacturer. It was earlier pointed out in global news that the United States of America which has recorded more than 2.5 million cases of the coronavirus has allegedly bought all the stocks of Remdesivir. This has practically left no stock for the UK, Europe or the rest of the world.
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