O2 CYLINDERS SOLD IN BLACK MARKETS

Remdesivir injection, which costs around ₹3K, being sold at ₹15,000 in black mkt

While severe Covid-19 patients are battling for lives their family members and relatives are fighting an equally difficult battle of arranging oxygen cylinders and lifesaving drugs which have gone off the shelf and are being sold in the black market on exorbitant rates, in the state capital.

LUCKNOW: While severe Covid-19 patients are battling for lives their family members and relatives are fighting an equally difficult battle of arranging oxygen cylinders and lifesaving drugs which have gone off the shelf and are being sold in the black market on exorbitant rates, in the state capital.

With rise in demand of oxygen cylinder and drugs like Remdesivir, due to spike in Covid-19 cases, the black marketers are busy making profit by selling them in black.

Following report on such cases, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday warned to slap National Security Act (NSA) against those found selling Remdesivir in black market and directed FSDA (Food safety and

Drug Administration) Department to keep a tab on sale of the drug and oxygen cylinders.

A 38-year-old resident of Aminabad faced a rude shock when the local trader asked him to pay Rs 40,000 for an oxygen cylinder which usually costs Rs 6,000.

“My 65-year-old father is having some trouble in breathing. On doctor’s suggestion I decided to buy an oxygen cylinder for him, but I was shocked when a local trader in the area asked me to pay Rs 40,000 for it. When I asked him to reduce the price, he declined to sell it to me. I had to plead him with folded hands and pay in full to get the cylinder,” he said.

People who somehow have managed to get a cylinder had to wait long hours to get it filled.

According to local, oxygen refilling plants in Chinhat and Talkatora are taking more than a day to refill a cylinder. Praful Gupta, a businessman in Gomti Nagar said, “I had to wait for over eight hours to get an oxygen cylinder refilled. They charged me thrice for half of the gas.”

Devices like oxygen concentrators, which are used to provide oxygen in low concentrations to non-critical patients is also being sold at five times the actual price.

Besides oxygen, Remdesivir, injectable drug for treatment of Covid-19 is also being sold in black market.

The injection that costs around Rs 3,000 is being sold as high as Rs 15,000 in black market. “I bought three vials for Remdesivir for 35,000 for my mother from Chowk,” said a college professor.

Meanwhile, the authorities are yet to take any stern action against those involved in selling the drug in black market. In Lucknow, a joint team of police and FSDA department has been formed to prevent sale of drugs in black market but it is yet to take any action.

“We are working to identify the cases and will take action if we receive a complaint,” said Lucknow Commissioner of Police DK Thakur.