Relatives of Covid patients protest ‘early closure’ of Remdesivir counter at Coimbatore hospital

COIMBATORE:

Relatives

of Covid-19

patients

protested outside the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on Monday after the Remdesivir sale counter was closed within half an hour of its opening.

A Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) official said that they closed the counter as they had sold their day's target of 500 doses in 30 minutes.

Relatives of patients suspected unfair practices at the counter. Sugumaran, 46, from Tirupur said, "The officials are either selling the drug for a higher price or selling it to people with strong recommendations."

Another protester said, "We have been waiting for three and a half hours to buy the drug. Our loved ones are in a serious condition, and we needed the dose immediately."

People, from five districts, began waiting outside the medical college gates on the Avinashi Road in Peelamedu from 6 am on Monday.

A

CMCH

official said, “We gave preference to the 63 people who got the tokens on Sunday. With each patient requiring six doses, we are authorised to sell only 500 doses a day. In all, we can sell it to 83 people a day,” he explained.

Following this protest, the GH authorities decided to provide tokens to 40 beneficiaries only.

“The remaining 43 beneficiaries will be patients who need it on an emergency basis,” said an official.