The state government owned Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (KSDP) located at Alappuzha, is all set for revival soon with a total allocation of Rs 20 crore earmarked for the same. The state PSU has been lying sick for the last several years.

The health and industry departments of the state government have jointly worked out a plan to restart its operations once again, K G Ajith Kumar, managing director of KSDP told Pharmabiz. The revival plan is expected to be completed in three to four years.

The inaugural function of the renovation project was held in the premises of the unit at Kalavoor in Alappuzha a few days ago. The function was attended by both the industry minister and the health minister.

At the function, the ministers promised that the government would do all possible help to improve the public sector unit's performance and reach a level where it could ensure adequate drug supplies to the public health sector and compete with private pharmaceutical companies in market.

"For this fiscal the government has already allocated Rs 7 crore. The balance will be given as per the scheme getting progressed. The company was engaged in the production of pharmaceutical formulations, injections, IV-fluids, tablets, capsules and powders. In 1983, the company started with a vitamin-A plant but soon the company turned sick unit and in 2003 the operations were come to a halt. We expect the moderninsation will be completed in another three to four years", Ajith Kumar said.

The firm is planning to start production of intravenous fluids apart from renovating its tablet, vitamin and injection manufacturing sections.

Efforts would also be made to conform to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards prescribed by the World Health Organization, the managing director pointed out.

According to sources in the industry, the company was started in 1974 and it was one of the best drugs manufacturing companies in India during that period. A range of twenty to thirty formulations was manufactured in the unit.

He said the revival package would be used by the KSDP for a technology makeover, capacity expansion and venture into the modern drug-manufacturing field. The scheme will be implemented in a phased manner. In the first phase the section of Tablets and capsules will be modernized according to US FDA standards. The section of injection and iv-fluids will be modernized in second phase.