COVID-19: Man Travels 1,000 KMs For A Drug To Save Father

CHENNAI: A 28-year-old man drives around 1,000 km to get a drug prescribed by the doctors, which will be useful for the treatment of his father infected with COVID-19. Guy's father even had a lung infection two years ago.

According to reports, doctors informed Joel Pinto (28), his father had a chance of recovery if he is being treated with a drug Tocilizumab. He started searching for the drug across the Chennai city and found out that the drug was out of stock for the past 15 days.

Tocilizumab is a patented drug which is being made only by one manufacturer, which is used to treat inflammation. The drug cost between Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 95,000.    

Doctors initially assured Pinto that they would arrange for the drug within two days. But failed to do so, and asked him to try as they were not sure about the arrival of the drug.

He was unable to find the drug even after placing an order for it in several medical shops. Tocilizumab was needed to reduce inflammation and breathing problems which were being faced by his father.

Pinto was searching for the drug for 13 days and doctors warned that her father condition is getting worse day by day. He gets to know that Tocilizumab drug is available in a pharmacy in Hyderabad.

Immediately he called to the pharmacist and paid an advance for the drug and applied for an e-pass to travel to Hyderabad for getting the drug.
 
He got the e-pass withing 45 minutes after application and started his journey to Hyderbad from Chennai on a car. He reached the Hyderabad by Tuesday 1 AM and took the medicine from a pharmacist by paying the remaining amount for Rs. 92,000 for the drug.

He returned back to Chennai on by Tuesday noon. Doctors had started treatment of his father with the drug.  His family hopes for a faster recovery of his father.