COVID-19: 3 Indian companies start supply of life-saving Remdesivir to Nepal
Aug 21, 2020
Kathmandu [Nepal], August 21 : Three Indian pharmaceutical companies have started supplying Nepal with life-saving anti-viral Remdesivir to be used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
"We have confirmed three companies for supply of Remdesivir. Mylan, Cipla, and Hetero Drugs will be supplying the drugs as per our demands. We will be permitting the use of anti-viral supplied on by these companies only," Narayan Prasad Dhakal, the Director-General of Department of Drug Administration confirmed.
"Among them, Mylan has started supplying the anti-viral to Nepal. At first, we have ordered 570 vials of it and has been delivered. Indian companies are easy to reach and the cost also comes low so we confirmed them," he added.
Remdesivir has been proved to be efficient for patients who have been put in the Intensive Care Unit and take them out of danger zone but wasn't available in the Himalayan nation.
"It would cost around 7,800 Nepali rupees per vial when it comes to the Nepali market. It would save extra expenses of the family," DG Dhakal said.
Nepal's Medical Council's directive (Interim Clinical Guidance for COVID-19) also has enlisted Remdesivir drug for the primary medication. Family of the patients who were in critical condition had to bring it from India under special arrangements but with availability on the local market, it will save on their expenses.
As per the Director-General of the Department of Drug Administration of the Himalayan nation, it is always the Indian companies who race forward to export drugs and pharmaceuticals to the nation.
More than half of 123 companies permitted to import medicines from other nations are Indian companies who work on various forms for parent companies headquartered in Europe or America.
