MP ramps up production of HCQS, manufactures 32 lakh tablets per day

With the demand for hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, rising substantially in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, efforts are being made to speed up its production in Madhya Pradesh. Hydroxychloroquine is deemed useful in dealing with COVID-19.

Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh): As the demand for hydroxychloroquine surges worldwide during the COVID-19 crisis, Madhya Pradesh is speeding up the production of the drug to ensure that both domestic and international requirements are met.

Several countries have requested India for the supply of the said drug even as the globally confirmed cases of the virus, which originated in China's Wuhan last year.

Looking at surge in demand from around the world for hydroxychloroquine the IPCA Laboratories Limited is manufacturing 32 lakh tablets of hydroxychloroquine per day.

Amid the soaring cases of coronavirus across the world, the government of India has placed an order for 6 crore tablets out of which IPCA Laboratories limited has already supplied 3 crore tablets.

The raw material for the hydroxychloroquine is prepared by the Ratlam unit of the IPCA lab, this unit can produce 1 crore tablets per month, other than the IPCA labs the Mack W health care can produce 5 lakhs tablets from the raw material daily.

A 2,800 kg consignment of 100 Mg tablets has been sent in 315 boxes to Johannesburg in Coene Airlines's cargo flight.

India has temporarily licensed the export of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in appropriate quantities to some countries, which have been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.