THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Poor coordination in the health department and lack of awareness have affected proper utilisation of a life-saving Covid drug supplied free of cost by the German government. The Centre distributed 20,000 vials of the drug among states and Kerala got 2,355 vials in June.
Though it was found to be effective in reducing deaths among Covid patients with comorbidities, if given at an early stage of infection, barely 800 patients have been given the drug so far. “The department is sitting on a stock of drugs that can be given to around 3,800 patients even when its ‘use by date’ expires in September. The drug worth `23 crore will be useless if not distributed to save lives,” said a source.
The poor usage comes at a time when the state has been reporting over 100 Covid deaths every day. The monoclonal medicine, a cocktail drug that helped former US president Donald Trump to recover from Covid, costs Rs 60,000 for a single dose at a private hospital. It is given as a single dose to prevent Covid progression in people with other health risks. “It is unfortunate that delivery of drugs has not picked up when it was given for free. There is not enough awareness among doctors and patients on the drug. Only a few privileged people and their families are aware about it,” said a professor in a medical college.
He blamed the lack of coordination in the department for the poor use. “Covid patients who come to medical colleges often have severe infection. The drug will not work for them. It is very important that it is given to a person at the onset of symptoms. Ideally, it should be somebody staying in quarantine. Such patients should be referred to medical colleges from the periphery,” he said.A member of the state medical board said the drug was supplied to medical colleges and a few district hospitals.
“In ideal condition, the drug should have been delivered at primary health centres. But it requires a certain expertise to deliver the drug, along with an ICU facility available,” he said. The cocktail is a combination of two drugs, Casirivimab and Imdevimab, given at an outpatient setup in private hospitals since January.
Use and potential
70%effective in reducing risk of progression of Covid and occurrence of death
Given to patients with mild to moderate infection within 7 days of developing symptoms
High-risk patients: Diabetes, cancer, obese, those with compromised immunity, having diseases affecting heart, liver, lungs, kidneys or those taking immunity compromising medications