The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to divert resources and supply medicines, like Remdesivir, based on the needs and situation of each state, otherwise "people will have blood on their hands".
"We will be doomed," a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said with regard to any non-application of mind in allocation and diversion of resources and medicines.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma and central government standing counsel Moniika Arora told the court that medical opinion was divided on the use of Remdesivir.
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Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Delhi government, told the court that doctors were prescribing Remdesivir and people are unable to get it from the market despite having prescriptions.
"Long and short of it is that it (Remdesivir) is in short supply," the bench said, adding that giving clearance for setting up units to manufacture would not yield quick results as establishing the facilities for manufacture takes time.
The court made the observations while hearing a disposed off petition related to Covid-19 tests. The High Court revived the matter on April 19 by noting that the virus has raised its "ugly head" once again and the pandemic is raging with much greater intensity and "it is evident that the healthcare infrastructure is at the stage of imminent collapse".