Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : An additional 45,000 vials of Tocilizumab have been allocated to States/UTs to meet the increased demand across country. This was announced by Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers D V Sadananda Gowda on May 11, 2021.
Tocilizumab is not manufactured in India and is sourced from Hoffman La Roche, a Swiss pharmaceutical company. Till about March, 2021, the demand for Tocilizumab by various hospitals across the country was adequately being met until the sudden spike in Covid cases started from April, 2021 onwards and the demand for the drug went up drastically.
On April 30, 2021, the available quantity of 9,900 injections (400 mg strength) was allocated to various States, UTs, and Central Government Hospitals. In a goodwill gesture, Roche donated 50,000 vials (80 mg strength) for Covid patients in India through Indian Red Cross Society on May 10, 2021, and which has been allocated by Government of India to States/UTs and Central Government Hospitals, according to a PIB release.
Following this, a commercial quantity of 45,000 vials (80 mg strength), imported into India on May 11, 2021 , has been further allocated to States/UTs by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Department of Pharmaceuticals. A quantity of 40,000 vials out of 45,000 vials has been kept at the disposal of State Governments/UTs which in turn will cater to the needs of patients both in Government Hospitals and Private hospitals in their States/UTs.
The State Governments have been advised to widely publicise the mechanism of allotment of this drug in their States to the general public so that the needy patients and Private Hospitals know and can approach authorities concerned of the state if they require the drug. The States have also been advised to take all measures to prevent hoarding and black marketing and ensure that the drug is used very judiciously and strictly as per the National clinical management protocol for covid-19 patients. The additional allocation of Tocilizumab will ensure its sufficient availability for COVID patients and augment the Government’s efforts to fight the pandemic.