COVID-19 | India to import 4.5 lakh vials of remdesivir

Remdesivir is being widely used in treating COVID-19 patients and its demand has skyrocketed following a surge in coronavirus cases in India.(Representative image)

India will import 4.5 lakh vials of COVID-19 drug remdesivir. The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers said the first consignment of 75,000 vials will reach India on April 30.

HLL Lifecare has ordered 4.5 lakh vials from Gilead Sciences and Egypt-based Eva Pharma.

"It is expected that Gilead Sciences Inc USA will dispatch 75,000 to 1,00,00 vials in the next one or two days. Further one hundred thousand quantities will also be supplied before or by May 15. EVA pharma will supply approximately 10,000 vials initially followed by 50,000 vials every 15 days or till July," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said the daily supply of remdesivir has increased from 67,900 vials on April 11 to 2.09 lakh vials on April 28, 2021. It said a total of 13.73 lakh vials of the drug have been supplied across the country by the Drug companies in the last seven days.

"As on 27.04.21, the production capacity of the seven licensed domestic manufacturers increased from 38 lakh vials per month to 1.03 crore vials per month," the ministry said.

Bangladesh will be sending remdesivir and medical supplies to India next week, ANI reported on April 30.

The Centre banned the export of remdesivir earlier in April after the second wave of COVID-19 cases triggered a huge spike in demand, causing an acute shortage.