The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) has set a target to source 143 million antiviral drug favipiravir tablets this month and next month in order to stave off a possible shortage in the face of the intensifying Covid-19 crisis.
The GPO has estimated at least one million favipiravir tablets a day are needed this month and next month, according to Dr Mukdawan Prakobwaithayakit, the GPO deputy director.
Demand for the drug has soared as more people infected with Covid-19 who exhibit few or no symptoms have gone into the home isolation programme where they must be given medicines, including favipiravir.
The programme has increased concerns over a shortage of the drug.
Dr Mukdawan told a television programme yesterday that about 79 million favipiravir tablets will be imported this month and another 40 million tablets next month. That is in addition to the 23 million tablets of locally produced favipiravir to be secured during the period.
In the past four days, 11 million tablets have arrived in Thailand.
The deputy director said the GPO and the Public Health Ministry have worked closely to assess demand for the medicine.
In October through to December, it is estimated some 100 million favipiravir tablets per month, three times the projected demand, will need to be procured to make sure there is a sufficient supply to be given to patients.
It would have been better if the drug could be delivered from overseas in large batches. However, the surge in orders for the drug has forced smaller shipments to be flown in almost on a daily basis, she said.
Thailand buys favipiravir mainly from India because of its affordable price there. The GPO previously purchased the drug from China but stocks there have run out.
This week, the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) plans to meet Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to seek more vaccines for factory workers and the approval for companies to produce favipiravir to cope with the Covid-19 crisis.
The group is preparing to send a letter to the premier within one to two days to arrange an appointment.
Besides talks on the need to speed up inoculation among workers insured under Section 33 of the Social Security Act, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) also wants to discuss the favipiravir issue with Gen Prayut.
The FTI has made known its concern that Thailand could face a favipiravir shortage the same way it is experiencing vaccine scarcity during the current third Covid-19 wave which began in early April.