Lockdown hits supply of pharma ingredients

The effect on pharmaceutical companies of the national lockdown in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic is substantial as the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients is heavily impacted and the export of drugs to Europe and the United States of America has been curtailed.

Pharmaceutical companies here are dependent on China for supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients and the production of many medicines has been stalled as the supply has dwindled with China being the first country to be badly hit by the coronavirus. The impact is particularly severe on biological medicines such as those used in the treatment of cancer, as its transport is by air and has been suspended.

Dr Arun Singh, an economist, explains that “raw material dependency on China is creating uncertainty regarding normalisation of supply chains. Since 85 per cent of active pharmaceutical ingredients come from China, till the lockdown in India ends, this problem will continue. Bulk drug intermediaries are imported from China (68 per cent), United States (four per cent) and Italy (three per cent). These too have been badly impacted. The production of in-house materials which are 20 per cent is continuing and that will ensure that the supply chain does not get too badly affected.”

The effect is moderate in the case of vaccines and anti-viral drugs and other generic medicines for consumption in the country.

Pharma companies are rotating their staff, one lot coming to work for office and laboratory work for a certain number of days and working from home on other days when another lot works in the office.

Production schedules have been chalked out according to the availability of the work force as many employees are not able to come to work.

Rajiv Nath, forum co-ordinator of the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry said, “We have got some relief from states after continuous dialogue with them and with the local administration in the last one week. But there are many workers and officials who live close to interstate borders and are unable to move despite having a pass.”

State Wakf Board Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Khasim has opposed the idea of converting the Haj House building into a quarantine centre for those suspected of carrying the novel coronavirus citing that various government offices are located on the premises.

The ministry of minority affairs under the instructions of minister Mukthar Abbas Naqvi has addressed a letter to Haj Committees of all states seeking details of occupancy for utilising them as quarantine centres. The TS Haj Committee referred the matter to the Wakf Board which owns the building.

Mr Khasim disagreed with the proposal stating that the Haj House houses the offices of the Haj Committee, Urdu Academy, Minorities Finance Corporation and District Minority Welfare Office (DMWO) apart from the Wakf Board. He said the building was not suitable to host