Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday said he was in possession of a report showing involvement of government officials in the black market sale of the antiviral drug Remdesivir.
Yediyurappa said this at an emergency meeting he chaired to review the supply and availability of Remdesivir, which is used in Covid-19 treatment.
“The information I have is that it’s being sold in black, even to other states,” Yediyurappa said. “I will get a comprehensive investigation done into this and all of you will face the consequences. I won’t spare anyone.”
Yediyurappa said the drug, which is now in great demand, was being sold in the black market “in spite of the difficult times” and that “it has become a business”. He was addressing an officer in the meeting attended by Health Minister K Sudhakar, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Jawaid Akhtar and others.
“The report I have says everyone is involved, not one or two. If this is investigated, everything will come out and you’ll face the consequences,” Yediyrappa said, repeating that he will not spare anybody. “Don’t speak here by concealing the facts,” he told the official.
“No, Sir. The fact is that all officials are working day and night,” the official said only to be cut off by Yediyurappa. “Did I say you’re not working? That’s not important. What do you have to say about the black market sale? When there’s a shortage of Remdesivir and it’s being sold in the black market, do you know what effect an investigation will have? I will get this investigated,” he thundered.
Govt to import 5 lakh Remdesivir vials
The Karnataka Covid-19 Task Force headed by Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan on Tuesday decided to float a global tender to import five lakh Remdesivir vials into the state.
On May 1, Union Minister for Chemicals DV Sadananda Gowda said Karnataka’s allocation of Remdesivir for the period April21-May 9 would be 3,01,300 vials.