COVID-19: Remdesivir Injection Monitoring Centre in Punjab to stop black marketing of anti-viral drug

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], May 9 (ANI): Punjab Food and Drug Administration has established the 'Remdesivir Injection Monitoring Centre' at the head office to stop black marketing of the anti-viral drug amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
State Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that the state government urged the people not to panic to buy Remdesivir injection at high prices as the state health department has sufficient stock in its warehouses.
Expressing concern over the black marketing and hoarding of COVID related drugs, Sidhu said that he directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Punjab to take stringent action against the wholesalers, distributors and retailers if anyone found doing such activities.
The Minister said that the Punjab Government has made it mandatory to mention the name of patient and IPD number on the vial so that the FDA's teams can easily verify the empty vial to which patient it has been administered before destroying it by the Covid Care Centre.
The Punjab Government has committed to ensure the supply of quality drugs in Punjab and to achieve this aim, he said that 60 Drug Control Officers have been deputed to keep vigilant eye on the supply of medicines.
Giving details of stock of medicines, he divulged that the Centre allocated 50,000 injections for distribution in Punjab from April 21, 2021 to May 9, 2021 while the state government has received 41,056 injections. He said that 20,450 injections have been distributed to the COVID care centers and Government Medical Colleges and 20,606 injections have been distributed to the private Covid Care Centres. (ANI)