Shainu Mohan By Express News Service KOCHI: With the state government enforcing all necessary measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, the Drug Control Department is aiding the effort by stepping up surveillance to track the flow and availability of drugs used for the treatment of patients. According to officials, there has been a rise in instances of hoarding medicines by the general public and private practitioners. Sources reveal that surveillance on the sale and demand of psychotropic drugs and other medicines has also been stepped up in the wake of the ongoing lockdown. “Following media reports that a medicine given for malaria could be used to treat Covid-19, there was a rise in demand for the pills. We have now taken adequate measures to ensure that it is not sold without a prescription,” said an official. According to the state Drug Control Department officials, they are closely monitoring medicine shortage in Kerala. “We are in constant touch with stockists and are ensuring proper supply. There are some issues with the consignment movement from other states but there is no shortage as of now,” the official said. It is learnt that the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has directed drug manufacturers across the country to make available around 2.2 crore HIV medicines including Lopinavir and Ritonavir for treating Covid-19 patients. Call for more de-addiction centres With the lockdown coming as a blow to drug addicts and alcoholics in the state, the demand for narcotic drugs is likely to go up. However, according to the Excise Department, checks are in place to curb the over-the-counter sale of narcotic medicines from pharmacies. According to them, such narcotic drugs are being brought into Kerala from Tamil Nadu and other bordering states. The Vimukthi Cell under the Excise Department has received 416 calls since the declaration of the lockdown. Around 200 outpatients and 64 inpatients have reported at the Vimukthi Deaddiction Centres. “We are on high alert and we haven’t noticed any spike in the demand for narcotic drugs so far. Severe withdrawal syndrome would lead them to depend on other options like illicit liquor,” said an excise official. According to Dr L R Madhujan of Karunasai Psychopark, a de-addiction and mental health institute, the government should take immediate steps to authorise more withdrawal syndrome clinics in the state to cater to the increasing number of addicts. “Many entities have started manufacturing illicit and spurious liquor. This would likely lead to tragic consequences. This is happening in the forest areas of the state. Once they start running out of raw materials, they would start using hazardous chemicals,” said Madhujan. “We are getting numerous calls from families. In the past 48 hours alone, we have admitted around 25 patients. But there are many who are underprivileged and are not aware that this is a medical condition. They should be given more awareness,” he added.

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