NEW DELHI : The Centre shoved aside the public sector Pharma giant, Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, in awarding manufacturing contracts to private companies for the greatly-in-demand malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, found effective in treating Covid-19. As per Centre’s orders IPCL Laboratory Cadila in Ahmedabad would together be the sole producers of the hydroxychloroquine at a time when there is unprecedented demand for the drug imports all over the world. The Centre’s decision is arbitrary and should be recalled, demanded MP Elamaram Kareem in his letter to Union Minister Sadananda Gowda.
India is the biggest manufacturer of Hydroxychloroquine, the drug acknowledged globally as effective antidote to Covid -19. And, seventy percent of its production originates here. Given the enormity of Covid pandemic worldwide, the Centre should look to help public sector companies established by tax payers’ monies rather than make this an opportunity to swell private pockets, said MP Kareem.
Besides, Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, India’s first public sector Pharma company, is capacitated to produce hydroxychloroquine at costs lower than these two private companies can come up with. Also its plants in Kolkata and Kanpur are fully equipped for the manufacture of bulk consignments needed in present circumstances.
As the world comes together united and collectively, in its fight against the potentially deadly virus, this inappropriate decision by the Centre is a setback to the spirit. It is then crucial that Centre rolls back the decision and set in motion the production of hydroxychloroquine drug at its own pharma namely the Bengal Chemicals& Pharmaceuticals, said Elamaram Kareem in his letter.
