The Kerala Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KPMA) has urged the state health ministry to source the required quantity of generic medicines from the small scale pharma units for the state government's proposed Kerala Generic Stores, as it will prove to be the much needed helping hand to the SSI units in the state which have been struggling to survive due to lack of government support.  

Purshothaman Namboothiri, president of the Association, said if the government assigns the small scale units in the state to produce adequate quantities of generic drugs for the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL)’s soon-to-be- opened generic outlets, it will be a big boost to the struggling pharma industry sector in the state. He said KPMA will submit a memorandum to the chief minister and to the health minister next week in this regard.

According to sources from KMSCL, the state government is planning to start separate generic outlets in the Karunya Pharmacies run by the Corporation to sell generic versions of pharma products similar to Jan Aushadhi Stores of the central government. KPMA wants to inform the government that the manufacturing companies in the state have the capacities to manufacture and supply sufficient quantity of products to the KMSCL. The government should give the order to the domestic companies rather than approaching manufacturers in other states.

According to him, all the SSI units, though the number is less than 25 now due to lack of support from government, are having GMP status and technical personnel.

“Our companies have all facilities here to manufacture sufficient drugs and meet the demands of the government. But KMSCL is procuring medicines mostly from other states neglecting the domestic manufacturers. At least for the generic versions, the government should entrust the responsibility to us. Our units have all the latest facilities and skilled workforce. The government must utilize this potential and help the industry”, said Namboothiri.

According to information, KMSCL will open separate generic outlets in five Karunya Pharmacies owned by it next month and later all the 54 pharmacies will have additional counters for generic products. The Corporation started Karunya Pharmacies in 2012 to sell branded versions of all medicines on reasonable prices. Now, when the central government sponsored Jan Aushadhi Stores is flourishing everywhere, the Corporation plans to run parallel generic stores for their survival, said a senior officer from the corporation.

Meanwhile, many of the manufacturing units in Kerala have closed their production facilities due to heavy loss in running and turned into marketing companies after signing agreements with large players from neighboring states and north India. At present less than 25 companies are continuing with production and that too in small quantities. If they get the order for generic products, it will help them to survive the present crisis, said the association president.