PESHAWAR: Pharma industry told to get units air-conditioned
By Our Correspondent
PESHAWAR, May 5: The federal government has asked the local pharmaceutical industry to get their manufacturing units fully air-conditioned by December. The directive issued by the federal ministry of health last month also asked the industry to stop manufacturing new drugs without meeting international standards are met by the deadline. The pharmaceutical units have been warned that they could face closure in case of non-compliance with the directive.
Pharmaceutical firms have opposed the government move and said it would force the local companies to close their units. They urged the government to extend the deadline so that they could arrange financing for air-conditioning their units.
Sources said that at present drug manufacturers had installed cold and hot system to save medicines from being spoiled. “The installation of new air-conditioning system will cost Rs30 million for each unit,” they added.
Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) former president Ghulam Sarwar Khan Mohmand said the NWFP had at present 50 pharmaceutical companies and the new system would cost them Rs1 billion.
He said the move would adversely affect the industry in the province, the sale of which had increased by 50 per cent. “Ten new factories are being established because of rising demand for drugs in Central Asian states and Afghanistan,” he added.
The SCCI former chief said the local industry had to install the cold and hot system to get manufacturing licences and the new directive would amount to further burden on the industry. The existing cold and hot system had cost the industry Rs2 million for each unit while the new system would cost them Rs30 million each which was unjust, he added.
Mr Mohmand said the NWFP Pharma Association through an application had requested the prime minister to order an inspection of drug units in the province and close down those units which were not fulfilling the criteria set by the government.
