On Monday, an appeal has been filed before the Delhi High Court asking for directions to regulate black marketing of COVID 19 medicines and to make sure theory availability and acquirement in a time-bound and see-through manner. The appeal comprised the severe shortage of medicines used for curing COVID patients such as Remdesivir, Favipiravir, Fabiflu, Tocilizumab, etc. in the capital and the absence of any see-through and time-bound mechanism to acquire the same. The petitioner stated that it was due to the non-availability of the above-prescribed medicines with the hospital and chemists or even the Office of the Drug Controller that her father gave away to COVID 19. The petitioner further state that the availability of these lifesaving drugs was the need of the hour and therefore it was important that the concerned authorities to have taken initiatives for the availability of the medicines in order to save numerous lives.
It is also contended that the State authorities have failed to control black marketing of the COVID-19 drugs which are being sold by the hoarders in the black market at 5 to 10 times the prices of the MRP due to their severe shortage.
In her application, the applicant has also made certain propositions which inter alia include deployment of Nodal Officers, keeping a tab on requisition and procurement of such drugs, rolling out a helpline number, etc.