As the country grapples with the worst-ever health crisis following the surge in Covid cases, the black marketing of the life-saving drug Remdesivir has made life difficult for the patients and their families. The injectable drug, repurposed for Covid-19 treatment, is being sold six times higher than its actual price.
On April 17, the Central Government capped the price of Remdesivir currently manufactured by seven companies in India. A 100-mg vial of the drug manufactured by Cadila now has a maximum retail price of Rs 899, Syngene’s Rs 2,450, Dr Reddy’s Rs 2,700, Cipla’s Rs 3,000, Mylan’s Rs 3,400, Jubilant’s Rs 3,400, and Hetero’s Rs 3,490.
But leaving no chance to exploit people and fill their pockets, the pharma supply chains are selling the medication by charging obscene amounts, with no real guarantees about the genuineness of the drug.
Sneha Lata, a resident of Karawal Nagar, said she bought the Cipla’s Remdesivir for Rs 20,000, which is six times than the actual price.
“For us now life is important not money. So we were in dire need and did not have any other option but to buy injection from the black market, which was arranged by one of our friends through a distributor,” she said.
Several pharma companies across the city are also indulged in black marketing allegedly. A 40- year-old man who did not wished to be named said his uncle, who through a medical shop in Saket, managed to arrange four vials for Rs 40,000 but later on he came to know that the vials were sold for Rs 55,000 to another person.
A source told The Pioneer that if anyone wants Remdesivir he should get in touch with his doctor in smaller private hospitals. “The doctors are not taking commissions but they are connecting the needy with distributors or medicines suppliers who take the benefit of the situation, selling these vials at a higher price,” he said.
A few days ago, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police had arrested four persons in two separate incidents for allegedly black-marketing the Remdesivir injections in the national Capital.
According to Monika Bhardwaj, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Crime Branch, two accused, nabbed by the police used to supply the injection across the country through one courier company based at Chandni Chowk, Delhi.
In another instance, two other accused persons were arrested from near Batra Hospital, MB Road, Delhi, who were trying to sell the injections at exorbitant prices. Ten vials of Remdesivir were recovered from the accused persons.
The accused persons use to sell these injections in black market on higher prices. They had a set network of persons who supply the injections on demand. “A total of 81 vials of Remdesivir injections were recovered in two cases,” the police said
Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh the Covid crisis has turned out to be a big business for the hospitals and chemists as life saving drugs has either vanished from the medical store or are available at a premium.
Narendra Nath, a Government employee purchased Remdesivir, a crucial drug for the treatment of Covid-19, at Rs 16,000 per vial whereas its cost is less than Rs 5000. “I was told that the drug is out of stock. I needed it for my son-in-law. As I had no option I was forced to pay extra,” he said.
His son-in-law was admitted to a private hospital. The doctor called him up to say that he should arrange for 6 vials of the injection. “Initially I purchased two vials at a cost of Rs 12,000 but for the remaining four I was asked to pay Rs 16,000 per vial,” he said.
“I was told that the dealer has jacked up the price. These people are heartless and are minting money at the time of crisis,” Nath said.
This has become a full-fledged business for some and police arrested a group of four, comprising two doctors, at the outskirts of Lucknow . They purchased the Remdesivir injection at Rs 8,000 per vial and sold it at Rs 20,000 per vial.
There is no limit to this extortion. Ashutosh Sharma, a businessman in Varanasi, contacted a pharma dealer in Lucknow who asked for Rs 25,000 for one injection. “This is almost five times the market price,” he told this reporter.
The Uttar Pradesh police have also launched an extensive drive to check the black-marketing, hoarding, and overcharging of Remdesivir and other drugs used for the treatment of critical Covid-19 patients across the State.
The UP special task force (UP STF) has been pressed into service to track the unscrupulous elements, Addl Chief Secretary, Home, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said.
Besides, police forces of various districts have been conducting rigorous drives all across the state to curb the hoarding, black-marketing and overcharging of essential Covid-19 drugs including Remdesivir, FabiFlu and Tocilimuzab.
The Uttar Pradesh police has constituted special teams to keep a strict vigil on the high-load areas to check the sale of fake Remdesivir injections.
Meanwhile, reports from Ranchi said black-marketing and hoarding of life-saving medicines and medical equipment is rampant in the State. Right from portable oxygen cylinders to Remdesivir injection, there are reports of people being forced to pay an exorbitant price.
Middlemen at hospitals are reported to be fleecing critical patients by charging them as much as Rs 1.5 lakh for 6 vials of the injection. They claim that the injection has been smuggled from neighbouring States and countries. However, no buyer or seller is ready to come on record and lodge a complaint with the authorities.
Similarly, equipment like PPE kits and Pulse Oxymeter, etc. are being sold on much higher rates than their MRP. Pharmacists in Ranchi are selling Oxymeters at Rs 2,000-3,000, more than double the price of their MRP.
On a complaint received Ranchi SDM Utkarsh Gupta raided some medical stores on April 23 and found that PPE kits and other equipment were being sold at 4-5 times higher rates than their MRP. It was found that a PPE kit of MRP Rs 210 was being sold at Rs 800. The Ranchi district administration has issued helpline numbers to complain about black-marketing during the pandemic, but very few people are coming forward to lodge formal complaints for the same.
The situation is worst in rural areas and small towns where the supply of medicines and medical equipment is less and private hospitals and nursing homes are cashing in on the helplessness of people.
