To counter the multinational companies' (MNCs) propaganda against the Indian generic drugs in the African countries, the Indian government will conduct an 'Indian pharma brand building campaign' in South Africa on July 22. A high level delegation of Union commerce ministry, including major exporters and members from Confederation Indian Industry (CII), will participate in the campaign.

The brand building programme will be part of the Indian government's aggressive campaign against the MNCs' propaganda against generic drugs in the African countries. The brand building programme will be a major platform for the Indian pharma industry and the government to allay any fears among the African countries about the quality of Indian generic drugs. Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Surinder Singh is also expected to be part of the delegation.

Main objective of the Indian government's aggressive campaign in the African countries is to desist these countries from introducing laws in their countries under which the generic drugs will be treated as counterfeit drugs. Under the influence of the MNCs propaganda, some African countries like Kenya and Uganda had recently come out with draft Bills under which even generic drugs will be classified as counterfeit drugs. India is concerned over the development because of the fact that apart from Kenya and Uganda, other African countries are also intending to follow suit which will put the Indian pharma industry in great trouble as Indian companies are the major exporters of generic drugs to several African countries.

The 'Indian pharma brand building campaign' will have to convince the African countries about the quality of Indian generic drugs and also to convince them that generic drugs are not counterfeit drugs as is being spread by the MNCs. The MNCs are learnt to be spreading the rumours in the African countries that the Indian generic drugs are spurious drugs and only patented drugs, manufactured mostly by the MNCs, are good for consumption.

Concerned over the MNCs' propaganda against the Indian generic drugs in African countries, the Union commerce ministry had initiated some proactive actions to counter them in the recent past. On April 24 this year, the ministry had called a meeting of all the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of African countries in India to clarify and convince the African countries how the generic drugs are being manufactured in India after complying with strict quality parameters. The meeting discussed the status of Indian pharma and issues related to improvement in bilateral trade between India and African countries.