The Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) has dismissed claims by a group of doctors that a shortage of antiviral medications for Covid-19 is imminent due to low stocks, saying it is supplying more of the drugs to hospitals nationwide.
Under a plan to distribute 25 million favipiravir tablets to health units responsible for managing the drug and redistributing it to hospitals in their areas, 3.7 million tablets have already been sent to these units across the country, said GPO deputy director, Sirikul Metheerangsan.
Distribution of the rest of the pills will begin tomorrow and won't stop until all supplies of the drug are delivered to their destinations, she said.
The GPO will at the same time order more materials to produce the drug to ensure adequate supplies, which will be managed in line with the Covid-19 situation.
Also, under another plan to supply the Ministry of Public Health with 5 million molnupiravir capsules, the GPO has already delivered 2 million since Tuesday, she said.
The rest are being procured and will be delivered by the end of this month, she said.
Aside from supplying these drugs to state healthcare units, the GPO is also monitoring their actual use. This is required to adjust stock requirements as the Covid-19 situation keeps changing, she said.
The Rural Doctor Society (RDS) had warned stocks of favipiravir and monulpiravir were running low and a shortage was expected in days.
Citing a message sent by the ministry to provincial health offices and hospital directors nationwide, the RDS said hospitals were asked by the ministry to try their very best to spare favipiravir for Covid-19 patients who are under 18 years of age.
The request was aimed at ensuring enough for young children before more supplies arrived at hospitals in about a week, said the RDS.