PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry government has procured 1000 more vials of remdesivir for COVID-19 patients admitted to government and private medical college hospitals in the Union territory.
Earlier, Lt Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan on her own initiative procured 1000 vials, which were flown to Puducherry from Hyderabad. Thereafter another 100 vials were obtained. Now, another 1000 vials have been procured, said Health Secretary Dr T Arun.
Government and private medical college hospitals in the UT are being provided with the required remedesir injections for administering the drug to those prescribed, he said. The government is also providing it to JIPMER, whenever they seek the drug. JIPMER is procuring remdesivir, but when their stock gets exhausted, they approach the Puducherry health department. "Though JIPMER is treating not only patients from Puducherry, but also a good number of patients from Tamil Nadu and a few from other states, we do not ask for whom the remdesivir provided is being used," said Dr Arun.
Puducherry has been allocated 3000 vials of Remdesivir and from time to time requisition would be made to procure it. Therefore, the public need not fear, he said.
There is no shortage of other medicines used for treating COVID-19 patients including anti-coagulants, steroids, antibiotics and others, he said.
Arun said the health department has taken the initiative to enhance the number of oxygen beds in government and private hospitals as well as making available additional ventilators from other non-COVID hospitals as well as some donated ventilators. There is no shortage of oxygen supply to patients for those who require it.
Expressing concern over the increasing number of deaths due to COVID-19, he appealed to people to come forward for early testing. “As soon as they develop any symptoms, even if they are mild, they should go to the nearest primary health centre or any other centre and give their swabs for testing. Early detection and monitoring of the health conditions of COVID positive persons and treating them with the right medicines and oxygen can save lives," he said. While around 1000 samples were tested daily in the beginning of March, this has now been ramped up to 9727 samples.
Puducherry registered 1122 new cases and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours ending at 10 am on Thursday. Active cases have risen to 8689 with 1681 being treated in hospital and 7308 in home quarantine.