In a major relief for Covid-19 patients and their relatives living in various districts, the Tamil Nadu government plans to open counters in Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem, Tirunelveli and Tiruchirapalli to sell the critical anti-viral drug Remdesivir.

They need not come to Chennai to buy the drug, said Health Minister M Subramanian on Saturday.

As there is a huge demand for the drug and to avoid black marketing, the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation sells it directly to patients only at the Government Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) in Chennai. Relatives from across the State undergo a lot of ordeals to procure it by standing in the long queue. Many even join the queue overnight to get the drug in the morning.

The 6-vial drug is available in the MRP of ₹9,480 while it is traded five to eight times higher in the black market. Some manufactured in other countries are also available in the black market. Last week, four persons were arrested in the State for trying to sell Remdesivir at ₹20,000.

In his first media interaction after taking over as the minister, Subramanian said like in KMC, the drug would be supplied in other districts.

Subramanian inspected the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital where 500 more oxygen-supported beds are being set up. Nearly 12,500 more oxygen-supported beds are getting ready across the State, he added.

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