NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said that if India wants to continue being the “pharmacy of the world” then there can be no laxity with the quality of pharmaceutical products.
His comments came after the Centre made lab tests mandatory for cough syrups before they are exported globally. The government took the step after India-made cough syrups were linked to the deaths of children in The Gambia and Uzbekistan. “If we are to continue being ‘Pharmacy of the World’, there can be no laxity with the quality of our pharmaceutical products, our products should also be affordable and competitive in the global market.”
He said, “India’s pharmaceutical industry is robust, resilient, and responsive. It is due to this that we could not only meet our down demand during the pandemic but also be in a position to supply medicines to 150 countries.”
Mandaviya was speaking at the Eighth International Conference on Pharma and Medical Device Sector, organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
“India played a phenomenal role in meeting the requirements of not just its domestic but needs of many others under unprecedented circumstances,” he added. “India’s pharmaceutical sector, called the ‘Pharmacy of the World’ will contribute more in the coming years for the domestic needs and to cater to global demand too,” he added.
Declared as a sunrise sector, the minister emphasized that this is an emerging manufacturing hub that has seen phenomenal progress with the implementation of production-linked incentive schemes and investments for medical drug parks. “Our advantage over other nations is price competitiveness and quality,” he said. He launched the ‘Assistance for Medical Devices Clusters for Common Facilities’ scheme at the occasion, which aims to establish and strengthen common infrastructure facilities in the medical devices clusters.
