NKTI temporarily halts providing remdesivir, tocilizumab as supply at critical level

The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) in Quezon City on Tuesday said it will temporarily stop dispensing remdisivir and tocilizumab, except for patients with severe COVID-19 infections, as their supply of the therapeutic drugs are already running low.

NKTI said it is already experiencing a surge in both "patients and ancillary services" with the spike in COVID-19 cases.

"In line with this and for purpose of prioritizing our patients with severe COVID infection, the NKTI shall temporarily suspend the dispensing of remdisivir and tocilizumab, as these life-saving drugs have already reached 'critical stock level' at the NKTI-Pharmacy," the hospital management said in its advisory.

Also, it will stop dispensing hemoperfusion cartridges to non-NKTI patients as their stock of these cartridges are also limited.

According to DOH data on NKTI's COVID-19 healthcare capacity, the hospital's COVID-19 facilities are already at a critical level, with a 97.8% bed occupancy rate.

Its ICU beds are 75% occupied; isolation beds are 96.2% in use and ward  100% utilized. — DVM, GMA News