HYDERABAD: Dark tragedy unfolded on the streets of the city of Hyderabad as people from all parts of the State stood in long queues for a vial or two of Remdesivir, the drug that is being prescribed to tame Covid-19 though its efficacy is yet to be proven.A queue of at least 500 people inching forward slowly at the Moosapet outlet of Hetero Pharma on Monday was an indication of how the drug has disappeared from the market, only to be sold at exorbitant prices in black.
“I am here since 7 am. I came on Saturday but instead of the drug, I was given a token and was asked to come again today (Monday). My mother is admitted in a hospital in KPHB and her oxygen has gone below 90.
I have little hope of getting the vials but we have no choice as the drug is selling at an outrageous price of `17,000 per vial in the black market,” said Janardhan P, who was one amongst the many in queue. Several others had patients who had just 40% oxygen saturation.
The Hetero outlet has been selling packets of six Remdesivir vials for `20,400 unless one shows a Covid-19 positive report and the in-patient report of the one under treatment.The situation turned tense with people jumping queues and others shouting at them.
Frayed nerves and rising tempers accentuated the anxiety, agony and frustration of those in queue, not knowing if they would get the “life saving” drug for their loved ones.
“We are here since 6 am but we still have not got the vials. We have no other choice but to stand here and argue with the company to give us the vials as we cannot afford the price that is ruling in the black market. We are a fairly large crowd here and the police are not even ensuring social distancing,” said Sai Kishore, from Kukatpally.
When Express visited the outlet, only about 20 such packages had been given out. Remdesivir, in fact, is just a trial-based anti-viral drug and WHO has not yet found any conclusive proof that it works to treat Covid-19Meanwhile, social media is abuzz with scores of helplines and forwards of drug manufacturers and distributors, all of which are ending up as dead-ends.
Apart from Hetero and Mylan, no other company is manufacturing Remdesivir. Whatever drugs these two companies are making should be directly be sent to hospitals via the Drug Controller Authority. However, it appears there are only limited hospitals on that list. Apart from this, there is no other legitimate way of procuring the drug, until distributors receive it from manufacturers.
Rules to obtain the vial
Outlet at Moosapet
Y Junction to open at 6 am for tokens
A box of six vials to be given at a cost of `20,400
Only cash payment
Five documents to be submitted:Aadhaar card copy of patient and attendant
Hospitalisation copy, in-patient slip
Covid-19 +ve report
Form of Hetero Pharma
2 HETERO STAFFERS SELL VIALS IN BLACK, HELD
Hyderabad: An area business manager in Hetero Healthcare, Shaik Saleem Jaffar, Bathala Venkatesh, a field sales officer and Jonnala Sharan Sai, a medical representative of Alkem Pharma, were caught by Hyderabad Task Force police while selling Remdesivir injections in black. Twelve injections were seized from them. Jaffar and Venkatesh work in Hetero Healthcare at Kukatpally, where the vials are sold in retail. Sharan Sai approached them and they agreed to supply the injection for `15,000/vial. Sharan was selling each vial for `20,000