Centre: No shortage of drugs for 3 months

Ahmedabad, March 5: The government on Thursday asserted there is no shortage of medicines or raw ingredients for drugs and that adequate supplies are available for next three months, amid coronavirus outbreak.

A group of ministers is also monitoring the situation on a daily basis to ensure preparedness for the challenge posed by the outbreak.

Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers D.V. Sadananda Gowda said all initiatives are being taken to ensure there is no impact of the disease in India. “There is no shortage of any APIs in the country. We have sufficient APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) and medicines in the country,” he said adding “for another three months there is no shortage for undertaking production in the pharma sector”.

Gowda was addressing the 5th international exhibition and conference on pharmaceutical and medical industry organised by Department of Pharmaceuticals, Gujarat government and industry chamber Ficci.

“Our government has taken all initiatives to ensure that as far as our country is concerned, coronavirus should be stopped, and there is no hazard as far as this issue is concerned,” he said.

Speaking on the preparedness for coronavirus in the country, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizer Mansukh Mandaviya said the government has formed a group of ministers for this and it is tackling and monitoring the situation on a daily basis.

“A task force has also been set up regarding APIs and I am leading it. We have decided to increase the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients in the country so that we are not dependent on any country for them,” he said.