Lok Sabha Question No. 1184 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-27
Subject: Covid-19 Pandemic
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1184 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 th  July, 2021

## Covid-19 Pandemic

## 1184. SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH VERMA:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is preparing in advance for future wave of Covid-19 pandemic;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to enhance production and maintain sufficient supply of critical drugs and medicines with regard to treatment of COVID19; and
- (c) whether the Government has taken any steps to check and prevent black-marketing and duplication of life saving drugs and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS (SHRI MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

- (a):  Yes, Sir.  Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has prepared the guidelines for Buffer Stock Management of COVID-19 on importance of maintenance of sufficient buffer stocks of essential drugs used in management of COVID-19 cases and their sequelae. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has identified a suggestive list of drugs to be a part of the buffer stock to be maintained by the State/UT Governments as well as the Central Government. Further, interalia,  the  Guidelines  also  provide  that  the  States/UTs  may  suitably  customize  the  list  in accordance with their local needs and requirements for treatment/management of COVID-19 and  its  sequelae  such  as  COVID-19  Associated  Mucormycosis  (CAM)  and  Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).
- (b)   Government has taken various steps to enhance production and maintain sufficient supply of  critical  drugs.  The  measures  included  expeditious  approvals  to  increase  the  number  of manufacturing sites of Remdesivir and Amphotericin-B. There was regular engagement with the manufacturers of COVID-19 drugs to monitor their production. The export of Remdesivir and Amphotericin-B was also prohibited to maintain adequate domestic supply. The Ministry of External Affairs also assisted the manufacturers for import of raw materials and COVID-19 drugs. To ensure equitable distribution of drugs across the country, allocation of Remdesivir, Tocilizumab and Amphotericin-B was done to States/UTs based on rational and transparent allocation criteria. Daily monitoring of supply of allocated drugs by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) was done for ensuring timely supply of drugs through coordination with nodal officers of States and liaison officers of manufacturers. Monitoring of availability of  the  drugs  was  also  done  regularly  by  the  Central  Drugs  Standard  Control  Organisation (CDSCO) and the NPPA.

(c) Amidst reports of black-marketing / hoarding / overcharging of COVID-19 management drugs, CDSCO has requested Licensing authorities of all States/UTs through several advisories to instruct their enforcement staff to keep strict vigil especially at sensitive places and to take stringent  action  against  the  offenders  by  conducting  special  drive  of  monitoring  and investigation. As per information available from various State Licensing Authorities, in cases of  black-marketing  /  hoarding/overcharging  of  COVID-19  management  drugs,  various enforcement actions like drug seizure, arrests of accused persons / registration of FIRs etc. have been carried out by the State Licensing Authorities.

The NPPA vide letter dated 08.04.2021 addressed to all State Drug Controllers, had directed to  closely  monitor  the  production  and  availability  of  COVID-19  drugs  to  prevent  black marketing and hoarding.

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