By Express News Service
BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to invoke the provisions of the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against those indulging in black marketing of antiviral drug Remdesivir. “Any lab, hospital and associated individuals caught indulging in black marketing of Remdesivir will have to face action under the NSA,” said wellplaced sources.
Shortage of Remdesivir injections has been reported from various parts of the state. There have also been reports of hoarding and black marketing of the injections which are in high demand for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. On Saturday, a large quantity of Remdesivir injections was reported stolen from the stock of the state-run Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal.
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The state has so far procured one Lakh Remdesivir injections which are being supplied to government and private hospitals. An additional 12,000 injections were procured from a Hyderabad-headquartered pharma company on Sunday. These injections were flown by chopper and state planes to various parts of the state. Earlier, UP’s Adityanath government has also decided to invoke NSA against three persons who were arrested in Kanpur carrying 265 Remdesivir injection vials.
Madhya Pradesh will also establish oxygen production plants in 37 districts. The state has been battling with a shortage of life-saver oxygen amid the surging corona case. “The Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the PWD department has been asked to select locations in all the 37 districts and set up the units within one to three months for meeting future requirements,” official sources associated with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday.