Lockdown hits production by Telangana's bulk drug manufacturers

"We are operating our units at 50 per cent of the capacity due to problems for movement of our employees and materials, P.

Despite being exempted from lockdown, the bulk drug manufacturers in Telangana are operating at only 50 per cent of their capacity, struggling to meet the demand for critical drugs including anti-viral drugs for treating COVID-19 patients in sufficient quantities.

Ever since the lockdown began in March, the bulk drug manufacturers in Hyderabad and surrounding districts have not been able to operate their units at full capacity to meet the domestic and global demand.

The pharma companies rue lack of proper coordination among police in four commissionerates which cover these districts. The frequent checking of the buses carrying their employees and the seizure of the vehicles carrying the materials are hampering their efforts to operate at full capacity to ensure proper supply of essential drugs during the lockdown period.

"We are operating our units at 50 per cent of the capacity due to problems for movement of our employees and materials, P. Eshwar Reddy, executive director, Bulk Drug Manufacturers' Association

( With inputs from IANS )