Minister questions Remdesivir’s free distribution in Gujarat

The NCP questioned the way the BJP managed to procure the medicine and alleged that the party was indulging in politicisation of drugs.

The Nationalist Congress Party’s national spokesperson and Minister for Minority Development Nawab Malik on Sunday questioned the free distribution of Remdesivir injections by the BJP in Surat at a time when the rest of the country is facing the anti-viral medicine’s shortage.

The NCP questioned the way the BJP managed to procure the medicine and alleged that the party was indulging in politicisation of drugs.

“The patient count is increasing across the country and people are facing shortages of medicines like Remdesivir. The situation is the same even in Gujarat. However, the BJP’s Surat unit has put up ads, stating that it will distribute Remdesivir for free from its office. When the distribution of this medicine needs to be done by the administration, why is this being done by a political party? Question also arises on how the BJP managed to procure these medicines,” Malik said.

He added that it should be checked if manufacturers were threatened by the BJP to hand over the medicine to them.

On Friday, Gujarat BJP president C R Paatil announced the party would give 5,000 Remdesivir injections free-of-cost from its Surat office to the needy patients.

“We have made arrangements to buy 5,000 Remdesivir injections from (Ahmedabad-based firm) Zydus, and have placed orders. We will get a supply of 500 to 1,000 injections daily from the company for Surat city. Patients’ relatives from districts in South Gujarat and Surat city, who face problems in getting Remdesivir injections, can come to the BJP office, show the treatment file and other necessary details. The information will be verified by us at the party office, and the injections given for free to them. The first stock of such injections will come on Saturday,” Paatil said.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the medicines, procured by Paatil for Surat “is separate and not a part of the government stocks”.

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