<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope today said that the state government is exploring the use of Favipiravir as an alternative medicine to save lives as the supply of Remdesivir is lesser than the required vials.</span><br />''<br />''AIR Correspondent reports, stating that Maharashtra was expecting to get about 60,000 vials of Remdesivir per day from the Centre, Mr Tope today informed that the actual supply has been restricted to 26,000 vials per day for the next week due to supply constraints. Talking about the oxygen shortage, the Minister said Centre should ensure safe transport by making provision of a strict green corridor. Mr Tope said the sudden spike in demand has forced the government to look for alternatives like oxygen concentrators and generators. <br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">He informed that the government is in talks with plastic, thermal and steel industries who can help with generation and safe transport of this essential gas. On the vaccination front, Mr. Tope said production needs to be increased on a massive scale, adding that all the doses to be produced by Serum Institute till 24th of May have already been pre booked by the Centre. He said the state government is ready to negotiate with foreign vaccine manufacturers if they can provide large numbers of doses at affordable prices.</span><br />