News Analysis India

Tag: COVID drugs

  • Popular drugs used to treat coronavirus in adults not fit for kids: Govt 

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The Centre on Wednesday issued detailed guidelines for treating children with Covid, emphasising that most of the drugs used for adults are not recommended for kids. Medicines like ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, favipiravir, doxycycline and azithromycin prescribed to adult patients have not been tested on children, it said. 

    However, it allowed the restricted use of Remdesivir. Once vaccines are approved for children, those with co-morbidities and those having severe symptoms would be prioritised for inoculation, the guidelines said.  “Children have less severe disease than adults. In the majority, the infection is asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. It is uncommon to have moderate to severe Covid among healthy children,” it said. 

    The government called for a combined effort from the public and private sectors to increase facilities to treat children. “A combined effort from the private and public sector is needed to handle any surge (in cases) in the future after the withdrawal of the lockdown over the next three to four months. The basic principles of equity and dignity of care should be followed.”  

    It suggested designating specific areas in Covid facilities for pediatric care, adding parents should be allowed to accompany the child. “For children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome who test negative for acute Covid, care has to be provided by the existing pediatric facilities,” it said. 

    Remdesivir was earlier not recommended for children

    Earlier, the Centre had said that antiviral drug Remdesivir was not recommended for children. It had saidsteroids should be used to treat only moderately severe and critically ill patients in hospital settings. At thesame time, it recommended a six minuted walk test to assess “cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance”.

  • Centre invites bids for delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to remote areas by drones

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The government has invited bids for delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and drugs to remote areas and those with difficult terrains in select locations of the country by drones to ensure last-mile coverage.

    The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) conducted a successful feasibility study in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur and has developed a standard protocol for the delivery of vaccines using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), according to the bid document.

    On behalf of the ICMR, the HLL Infra Tech Services Limited (Procurement Support Agency) has invited expression of interest (EOI) through the Central Public Procurement Portal from experienced Indian agencies for the delivery of medical supplies (vaccines/drugs) by UAVs.

    According to the tender criteria, the ICMR shall engage UAV operators who are able to conduct beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations in fixed pre-defined flight paths, deliver medical supplies payload at select locations in India and return to the command station.

    During the prevailing pandemic, different agencies are helping the government prevent and control the transmission of COVID-19. The bid document stated that to strengthen the delivery of vaccines, the ICMR successfully conducted a feasibility study to deliver vaccines through UAVs in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur.

    “Based on the preliminary results of the study, the ICMR has developed a standard protocol for the successful delivery of vaccines using a UAV. “Now, based on the experience gained in the feasibility study, the ICMR is keen to develop a model for vaccine delivery by UAV in the field practice area to reach areas to cover last-mile coverage at difficult terrain in selected locations,” it said.

    “The main objective of the proposed work is to develop a medical supplies delivery model and its feasibility in the field practice area by using UAVs in remote inaccessible (hard to reach) areas in selected locations in India,” it added.

    According to the specifications, UAVs should be able to cover a minimum aerial distance of 35 km, able to take off vertically and carry a minimum payload of 4 kg and should be capable of returning to command station after delivering the payload.

    Initially, the tenure of engagement shall be 90 days. This can be extended further depending upon the performance of the UAV operator and the need of the program.

  • Youth Congress chief Srinivas urges Centre to remove GST on Covid-19 drugs

    By Express News Service
    SHIVAMOGGA: Indian Youth Congress national president B V Srinivas urged the Centre to remove Goods and Services Tax (GST) on all drugs meant for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. He questioned the levy of GST on the drugs at a time when the people are short of money.

    Srinivas told reporters here on Friday that India is the one of the biggest manufacturers of vaccines for COVID-19. “Unfortunately, there is unavailability of vaccines for our people. The vaccine produced here is being exported to other countries. The government is negligent towards the health of the people,” he alleged.

    The IYC president said that the second wave of COVID-19 has shaken India badly and that the third wave is beginning to spread. “Still, the government is not serious about it. The government should immediately discuss preventive measures with experts. We should be ready to face the third wave,” he said.  

    He said that Congress is committed to serving the public and hence it is distributing food to people across the country.

    When asked about him being lauded across the country for supplying oxygen, medicines and arranging beds for COVID-19 patients, Srinivas said that it was party leader Rahul Gandhi who was his inspiration. “Gandhi had held a meeting with us on March 1 last year and had asked us to come to the rescue of people. We are working as per his direction,” he said.

    IYC national secretary D M Sandeep said that BJP MP Tejasvi Surya should learn from Srinivas in managing the COVID crisis. Srinivas distributed food kits, isolation kits and immunity boosters to people and flagged off ambulance services called ‘Congress Cares’ on the occasion.

  • How celebrities, politicians are getting COVID-19 drugs?: HC asks Maharashtra government, Centre

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra government and the Centre to file affidavits explaining how celebrities and politicians were procuring anti-COVID-19 drugs, medical oxygen and other relief materials for coronavirus patients.

    A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni had asked for such details last week as well from the the Maharashtra government and the Centre, who faced flak during hearing for non-compliance of previous orders.

    However, on Wednesday the state government submitted a report merely saying it had served show cause notices (on procuring COVID-19 relief materials) to Mumbai Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddique and the Sood Charity Foundation (an NGO of actor Sonu Sood), but was yet to receive their replies.

    Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh told the HC the Union government had not filed any report since procurement and distribution of Remdesivir (a key COVID-19 drug) and medical oxygen, among other items, were the prerogative of a state and the Centre merely allocated such resources to states based on the latter’s demands.

    The bench took an exception to the responses of the state government and the Centre (represented by Singh). The HC said it had expected better replies and compliance of its previous orders from both the respondents.

    “These persons (celebrities) have no licence (to procure COVID-19 drugs, medical oxygen), who will take the guarantee? There should have been a report. You (the state government)) have only issued show cause notices, we said place a report on this. We are not happy with this,” the HC said.

    The bench said its primary concern was that the needy must not miss out on getting relief since all were not in a position to make appeals on social media. “Who will guarantee that drugs being given by these personalities are of proper quality?” the HC said.

    “The allocation is by UOI (Union of India), collection is by State, then where is the window for collection or procurement by these personalities? That is our anxiety,” the bench observed. The HC directed the state and the Centre to file their detailed reply affidavits by next week.

    It also directed the Maharashtra government to submit details on the requirements for medical oxygen (needed to treat serious COVID-19 patients) and Remdesivir, among other items, across the state, the supplies it was receiving from the Centre and other entities.

    The HC was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations (PILs) on the management of issues connected to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also praised the model devised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to tackle the infection spread, procure, produce and store oxygen, and anti-COVID-19 drugs.

    Senior Counsel Anil Sakhare, who appeared for the BMC, told the bench that the civic body was making arrangements for vaccinating citizens and improving paediatrics health infrastructure in Mumbai (in view of a possible third COVID-19 wave).

    He said the BMC had invited a global expression of interest for procuring 1 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines. “Bombay (Mumbai) corporation has had unique vision since ages,” the HC said. The court will continue hearing the PILs on May 25.