As COVID-19 cases and deaths are rising alarmingly in the second wave, increasing the demand for Remdesivir drug for treatment, Minister in charge of Mysuru district S.T. Somashekar on Monday visited Jubilant pharmaceutical company in Nanjangud that manufactures Remdesivir and urged the company officials to speed up production.
The Minister told the company officials to consider Mysuru where the COVID-19 situation is worrying as a “special case” and make the drug available for the treatment of patients admitted in the district based on the request from the district administration.
During the meeting, the Minister, who was accompanied by Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, said the government was under pressure to meet the vast demand for the drug in the wake of the spike. “Until the cases see a sharp drop and the situation improved, the company can consider producing the drug in higher volumes to meet the demand,” he said
Company Vice-President Lakshminarayan said that he will bring the matter to the notice of the company management and suggested that the Department of Health and Family Welfare submit a proposal on the quantity of drug it wanted.
Nanjangud MLA Harshavardhan and senior officials from the district were present.
In the last wave, many employees of the company had tested positive for COVID-19 causing anxiety in the area. “I am happy that no such thing happened in this wave,” the Minister said, while addressing the company representatives.
