Fifty pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities have shuttered their operations in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, Asia’s largest pharmaceutical hub, while others are operating at significantly reduced capacities after the region was declared a containment...
NEW DELHI: Fifty pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities have shuttered their operations in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, Asia’s largest pharmaceutical hub, while others are operating at significantly reduced capacities after the region was declared a containment zone, raising concerns about the shortage of supply of medicines in the country.
“Major pharma units including Wockhardt, USV Pharma, Sun Pharmaceuticals are among the 50 units that shut operations on April 12,” Navneet Marwaha, state drug controller of HP told ET.
The state deputy drug controller Manish Kapoor added that some other facilities were operating at low capacities. “Dr Reddy’s Lab is operating up to 15% of its capacity in its two units; Abbott is operational at 25-30%. Glenmark Pharma’s three units are operating at mere 25%-30% capacity. Cadila Healthcare is operating at 35% capacity. Three units of Unichem Laboratories are operating at 40-45% capacity, Macleod’s at 35-40% capacity,” he said.
There have been media reports that the state government has given special permission for pharma manufacturing to restart in the region. And state officials hope that things will improve as the situation improved in the region and there has not been a single Covid case in the last few days. But officials of drug companies, who did not wish to be named, said the situation was still bad and there has been no resumption of activities in the region.
Dinesh Dua, chairman, Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council said that the challenging situation in Baddi could result in shortages in India.
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“Pharma units are not operating at more than 40%. Thirty percent units are closed for various reasons. Many of the units are SMEs, making arrangement for lodging and boarding from outside Solan district and from Haryana and Punjab are not feasible. These units can’t manage with local personnel as all skilled employees have to come either from Panchkula or Pinjore in Haryana or Chandigarh/Mohali in Punjab. This may lead to drug shortages in May,” he said.
