Manila willing to lend Covid drugs

We are willing to lend them, but I hope you replace them after use so patients experiencing severe Covid symptoms may use them, too

The City of Manila has expressed its intention to lend two life-saving Covid-19 drugs that are hard-to-find and, in some cases, have long been unavailable in big drugstores and pharmaceutical establishments.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso announced via his Facebook Live broadcast last Friday explained he was willing to lend vials of Remdesivir and Tocilizumab, provided that those who will use them should replace it with new ones and return these to the city.

He said anyone who is suffering from severe Covid-19 and is on the brink of death could formally request the Manila Health Department for the medicines, as prescribed by their doctor.

The drugs are prescribed to Covid-19 patients who are in critical condition.

Each vial of Remdesivir can command a price of up to P30,000, while Tocilizumab is priced anywhere from P10,000 to P17,000 per vials. Each shot of Tocilizumab contains 80 milligrams and provides relief to patients who have difficulty breathing. However, a patient will need 400 milligrams, equivalent to five vials, for a round of treatment.

“We know how valuable these two medicines are to people who are in the emergency unit of the hospital. We also know how difficult it is to find these medicines. So, we are willing to lend them, but I hope you replace them after use so patients experiencing severe Covid symptoms may use them, too,” Domagoso said.

The mayor said these drugs are available at the six city-run hospitals: Sta. Ana Hospital, 225 vials, which are good for 45 patients; Ospital ng Maynila, 200 vials for 40 patients; Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, 150 vials for 30 patients: Ospital ng Sampaloc, 150 vials for 30 patients; Ospital ng Tondo, 100 vials for 20 patients and Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital, 100 vials for 20 patients.

Meanwhile, the city’s supply of Sinovac vaccines are almost depleted, and only 100 more vials are left.