It’ll take 2-3 days to get Remdesivir: Health minister

Potential Covid-19 drug Remdesivir, which is being produced in Bangladesh, will be available for use within two to three days.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque made the announcement today while inaugurating the first Covid-19 unit at a private hospital.

"Bangladesh plans to take its daily Covid-19 testing capacity beyond 10,000 by the end of this month," the minister said.

"Also, around 20 new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing labs and another 8,000 isolation beds will be added within a few days.

"The government bore the full cost of setting up a 200-bed Covid-19 hospital at the Anwar Khan Medical College where there will be all kinds of advanced arrangements for the treatment of Covid-19 patients."

Chairman of Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Dr Anwar Hossain Khan MP presided over the inauguration programme where the health minister was present as the chief guest.

Dr Anwar Hossain Khan MP said, "A 200-bed Covid-19 unit at the Anwar Khan Medical College has been prepared in just 20 days."

"It has completely separate treatment facilities for Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients. To make sure that general and Covid-19 patients can be treated separately and safely, even the doctors and nurses have been provided with separate accommodations."

"We want to support the people at this time of national crisis. Together we want to defeat Covid-19."