Health Ministry denies claims of short supply of anti-viral medicine for Covid patients

In response to complaints about a shortage of the anti-viral medicine Favipiravir, with hospitals running low on the primary drug in Thailand used to treat Covid-19, the Public Health Ministry has said that the country’s supply is enough to meet the local demand.

Hospitals may experience a “temporary” shortage with the uptick in Covid-19 cases, according to Public Health Deputy Permanent Secretary Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, but the official says they can acquire more of the anti-viral pills from the provincial health office in their area.

The anti-viral medication is used to treat Covid-19 patients with moderate to severe symptoms, but needs to be administered at the early stages of the illness. With hospitals running low on the drug, the Rural Doctors Society has been urging the ministry to be more transparent about the country’s supply of Favirpiravir, but many officials have denied a shortage.

Out of the 128.1 million tablets of Favipiravir recently procured by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, most have been distributed to hospitals across the country, leaving a total of 22.87 million pills in stock, according to the public health official, quoted by Thai PBS.

The ministry is also requesting the procurement of another 75 million Favipriavir pills before Songkran as coronavirus cases are expected to rise after the holiday, according to Nation Thailand.

SOURCES: Thai PBS | Nation Thailand