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Himachal’s pharma units gear up to meet rising global demand for HCQ to treat Covid-19
India produces 70% of world’s hydroxiychloroquine supply; after govt asks drug manufacturing units to ramp up HCQ production, state drug controller says HP units can meet the bulk demand
SHIMLA:
Drug manufacturing units in Himachal Pradesh are gearing up to meet the rising global demand for hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), an anti-malarial drug being used to treat coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
There are 40 drug units in the state that have the approval to make the anti-malarial drug. They are based in the pharmaceutical hubs of Baddi and Nalagarh in Solan district, Kala Amb and Nahan in Sirmaur district and Sansarpur in Kangra district.
The small-scale units in Baddi have the capacity to produce about one to five lakh tablets daily, while the bigger companies can produce about one crore tablets a day.
ADEQUATE STOCK FOR COUNTRY
India produces 70% of world’s hydroxiychloroquine supply and has adequate stock for itself.
“The government has ordered the drug manufacturing units to enhance the production of HCQ. The units in Himachal Pradesh can meet the bulk supplies,” state drug controller Navneet Marwah said, adding that the state has adequate stock of HCQ to meet its own needs.
“Not only can we meet our own needs but also that of other states,” Marwah said.
Panacea Biotech, Glenmark, Zydus Cadila and Unichem are some of the major pharmaceutical companies manufacturing hydroxichloroquine in the state.
GOVT ASSURES FULL SUPPORT TO UNITS
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday held a video-conference with drug manufacturers and asked them to increase the HCQ production to meet the rising demand. The government has assured full support to drug manufacturing units of the state.
However, the availability of raw material and labour shortage at the units are a concern for the drug manufacturing units. “Drug manufacturing units in the state can produce 30 to 40 crore tablets in a month but it all depends on the availability of raw material,” said Dr Rajesh Gupta, the president of the Himachal Pradesh Drug Manufacturing Association.
The units producing active pharmaceutical ingredients for the manufacturing of hydroxychloroquine are based in Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.
There is no China link in the supply chain.
