Urgent air consignment en route: Delhi dispatches vital Nipah drugs to Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: The health department announced that critical medicines required for Nipah virus treatment are scheduled to arrive from Delhi by air today. This development comes amid mounting allegations of a severe shortage of life-saving drugs, including Remdesivir, at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

The lack of essential medical supplies recently drew sharp criticism from Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan, who pointed out the gravity of the situation while a Nipah patient remained in critical condition on ventilator support. He criticised the authorities for revealing the shortage at such a crucial juncture and claimed that a total lack of coordination exists between the government and the health department. The opposition leader further remarked on the perceived absence and lack of timely intervention from Health Minister K. Muraleedharan since the virus resurfaced.

Meanwhile, Health Minister K. Muraleedharan stated that no new Nipah cases have been detected in Kozhikode district. He clarified that three individuals currently under quarantine are being monitored in the hospital, and their samples have been sent for testing. The minister also confirmed that the patient currently undergoing treatment has received the first dose of monoclonal antibody therapy, administered in accordance with ICMR guidelines and the medical board's directive.