Amidst a massive surge in coronavirus cases in Gujarat and health services going haywire, a fresh controversy erupted on Saturday hen the Bharatiya Janata Party started distributing Remdesivir, an anti-viral injection that is in huge demand by people infected with the virus, at party office in Surat, one of the worst affected cities.
The development comes amidst reports of shortage of vials and the government scrambling to meet the demand at public as well as private hospitals.
As announced a day before, the BJP started distributing free Remdesivir injections at the party's office in Surat to people lined up with doctor's prescriptions. The party plans to distribute 5,000 such injections in the city and neighbouring towns in south Gujarat, represented by state BJP president C R Paatil.
However, as the distribution began, a controversy started brewing over how a political party can get the stock of medicines and distribute them. Also, this came a day after Surat district administration suspended allotment of injections to private and well as civic body-run hospitals.
During a media briefing when Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was asked how BJP and Paatil received the stock of injections, he responded, "You should ask CR (Paatil) how he arranged those. Government has nothing to do with this."
Moments after the remark, Paatil told reporters in Surat that, "Many friends in Surat bought these injections...after buying them at market price, the BJP is distributing them. We have committed for 5,000 injections as an alternative for anyone who comes. Besides, the government is also arranging them efficiently. The government is distributing them in civil hospitals...these injections are only for Covid-19 infected people. It is an effort to help those people."
Congress, the Opposition, was quick to criticise the Rupani government while questioning how the BJP received injections at a time when commoners are struggling to get one despite being in queues for hours. State Congress president Amit Chavda said in a Twitter thread, "It's clear from the recent statement by @BJP4Gujarat President, @CRPaatil that BJP has stocked Remdesivir, which is a crucial drug in the fight against Covid, amidst the shortage in the market & pharmacies... Stocking and Distribution of Remdesivir injection by a political party without any drug license is a direct violation of section 18 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Will commissioner FDCA initiate action under section 27 of the D&C act against the concerned supplier and distributors? Or the law is only applicable for small retailers? Will the FDCA inspector raid the premises and arrest the person involved in the illegal purchase, storage, and distribution of life-saving medicines?"
As the daily Covid-19 cases are witnessing a massive surge in the state, people are lining up at all places where Remdesivir injections are provided. Expert doctors and the state government have warned against the unnecessary use of this injection stating that it can damage vital organs. In a release, the state government had stated on Friday that in March, over 1.63 lakh Remdesivir injections were used while in the first nine days of this month, the government procured and supplied over 1.70 lakh injections.