Tamil Nadu has received two consignments of Covifor, a generic version of the experimental COVID-19 drug remdesivir, from Hyderabad-based Hetero, and has dispatched them to all districts for treatment of critical COVID-19 patients.
The State received the first consignment of 1,000 vials on Wednesday and another on Thursday. The first consignment has already been distributed to all government hospitals in the State. “We have ordered a consignment of 42,500 vials of the medicine, the largest number ordered by any State till date. We have dispatched the first consignment and it has already reached all government hospitals, medical college hospitals and district headquarters hospitals in districts where there are no medical colleges. In fact, we got some quantity for compassionate use last week itself,” Umanath, managing director, Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, said
Dr. Umanath said that Tamil Nadu was the first State to distribute the drug to every district. “Others are using it in select hospitals. We are making it universally available so that it becomes easier to treat patients in all districts,” he said. The State is expecting another consignment of a few more thousand vials.
