LHC directs to ensure availability of Actemra injections on affordable rates
LHC directs to ensure availability of Actemra injections on affordable rates
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday has directed the provincial authorities to ensure availability of coronavirus medicines on affordable rates.
While hearing a petition against selling Actemra injection on high price, the court has summoned representatives of concerned departments on June 17.
Notices have also been issued to federal and provincial governments in this regard.
Earlier, the Punjab government had begun clinical trials of the anti-inflammatory drug tocilizumab (Actemra) for COVID-19 patients in selected public and private hospitals.
Tocilizumab is immunosuppressive drug used for rheumatoid arthritis. It works by decreasing the severity of the immune response known as a cytokine storm.
On the other hand, Pakistan has confirmed 97 deaths by novel coronavirus in one day as the number of positive cases has surged to 144,478. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 2,729.
According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), 5,248 persons have been tested positive for COVID-19 in 24 hours.
Punjab remains the worst-hit province by the pandemic followed by Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Till now 54,138 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Punjab, 53,805 in Sindh, 18,013 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 8,177 in Balochistan, 8,569 in Islamabad, 1,129 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 647 in Azad Kashmir.
Patients are under treatment at quarantine centers of 462 hospitals where 7,295 beds are available.
Pakistan has so far conducted 897,650 coronavirus tests and 29,085 in last 24 hours. 53,721 coronavirus patients have recovered in the country whereas many are in critical condition.
