The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay HC passed relevant directions to handle the city’s crumbling healthcare system, which has resulted to the humongous rise in covid-19 cases, specifically on the non-availability of important anti-viral drugs such as Tocilizumab and Remdesivir, Oxygen supply and Hospital beds.
Based on the court’s suggestion, the state has decided to set up an oxygen plant in the city.
Rendesivir and Tocilizumab
Advocate SP Bhandarkar and other advocates pointed out important anti-virus injections have just disappeared from the market, moreover they are being black marketed.
State’s counsel Senior Advocate MG Bhangade stated that as far as Remdesivir is concerned, there will be a centralized and analyzed portal with the patient’s information and doses given. He further specifically states that doses will be provided at dedicated covid hospitals. The Court, in retaliation to this, ordered that no patient should be denied the crucial drug even if they are being treated in a non-covid hospital. A doctor’s prescription should be enough.
As for the Tocilizumab, the states tells the Court that its sale is being looked over by the central Government. It is imported by Cipla Pharmaceuticals, which has a depot in Nagpur from where it is supplied to pharmacists. The Bench has directed the agents of Cipla at Nagpur to disclose the details to the Join Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration, Nagpur immediately.
The State informed the Bench that it will be setting up an oxygen plant in Nagpur. The Submission was made a day after the Bench directed the CM of Maharashtra - Uddhav Thackeray to consider setting up an oxygen plant.
The Bench further requested that the unfortunate incidents should not be highlighted too much because in these situations, headlines like these trigger panic and stress amongst the citizens.
