: Covid-19: About 50 drug firms in Baddi halt operations, trigger concerns about shortage of medicines #IndiaNEWS Fifty pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, have shut down

Covid-19: About 50 drug firms in Baddi halt operations, trigger concerns about shortage of medicines #IndiaNEWS
Fifty pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, have shut down operations after the region was declared a containment zone, The Economic Times reported on Wednesday. Several other manufacturing units in the area, which is Asiaâ€™s largest pharmaceutical hub, have also significantly downsized operations, fuelling concerns about the impending shortage of medicines in the country. Wockhardt, USV Pharma and Sun Pharmaceuticals are among the 50 drug manufacturers that halted operations on April 12, Navneet Marwaha, the state drug controller of Himachal Pradesh, told the newspaper. His deputy, Manish Kapoor, said that some facilities were still running operation, albeit at a lower capacity. Among those which have been affected are Dr Reddyâ€™s Lab, which is operating up to 15% of its capacity in two units and Abbott, which is running operations at 25% to 30% of its total production bandwidth, Kapoor said. Glenmark Pharmaâ€™s three units are operating at a mere 25% to 30% capacity, while Cadila Healthcare is operating at 35%. Three units of Unichem Laboratories are operating at 40% to 45% capacity. The newspaper cited media reports as saying that the state government has given special permission for pharmaceutical manufacturers in the region to resume production. Officials are also hopeful of the situation improving in Himachal...Read more

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