Telangana objects to allotment of Remdesivir and oxygen by Centre

Health Minister Eatala Rajender said the Union Health Ministry allotted 21,500 Remdesivir injections to Telangana for a period of April 21 to 30.

Hyderabad: Health Minister Eatala Rajender on Thursday expressed displeasure at the way Remdesivir and oxygen for Covid-19 patients were allotted to Telangana based on quota system adopted by the Centre.

Rajender said the Union Health Ministry allotted 21,500 Remdesivir injections to Telangana for a period of April 21 to 30. “For the last one week, we have been holding discussions with manufacturers of Remdesivir in Hyderabad and placed orders to procure 4 lakh Remdesivir injections. On Wednesday, the Centre decided to centralise the distribution of Remdesivir and has now allotted just 21,500 injections, which will not be enough for the State,” he said.

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Interacting with press persons here, Rajender said the Centre has allotted oxygen manufactured by Tata Steel in Kalinganagar in Odisha, which is located very far from the State.

“Kalinganagar is 1,300 km from Hyderabad and there are so many logistical challenges to transport medical oxygen from Odisha given the distance. It is difficult to get hold of oxygen tankers which are not like the average petrol or diesel tankers and have to be specially built. Why can’t the Centre allow Telangana to access oxygen produced from nearby facilities like in Vizag. We have expressed our displeasure over the allotment of Remdesivir and oxygen to Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan and we are hoping that the Centre takes decisions favourably,” Rajender said.

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