India to require Covid test for arrivals from China, 4 other Asian nations

Health Minister Mandaviya asks pharma firms to ensure adequate stock of Covid-19 drugs

People arriving in India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand will have to show a negative Covid-19 test from Sunday, said Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Mandaviya, in a virtual meeting on Thursday, asked pharma companies to ensure adequate stocks of all drugs, including those for Covid-19. Companies will monitor global supply chains, production and availability of active pharmaceutical ingredients and formulations needed for medicines to manage Covid-19.

An industry official said the meeting reviewed India’s preparedness if demand surges for Covid-19 essentials. “The industry also requested that we should not ban exports of some key drugs like we did last time during the peak of the pandemic as this dents the image of Indian pharma,” said the official, who attended the meeting.

The industry wanted a decision on exports to consult stakeholders, said the official.

The meeting reviewed adequacy of Covid-19 management drugs and production of essential medicines in view of rising infections in some countries.

States are checking the availability of oxygen cylinders, ambulances, ventilators and other items needed in medical emergencies. Government hospitals on Tuesday conducted a mock-drill to assess their preparedness to handle any surge in Covid cases.

Rajesh Bhushan, the health secretary; S Aparna, the pharma secretary; Kamlesh Pant, chairman of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, and V G Somani, the drugs controller general attended Mandaviya’s review meeting.

Sudarshan Jain, secretary general of Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance; Viranchi Shah, president of Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association; Sanjeev Jain, joint managing director of Akums Pharmaceuticals, also attended the meeting.

More than 80 per cent of Covid-19 cases are from 10 countries: Japan, South Korea, the US, France, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

India is conducting a random test of two per cent of all international arrivals at its airports.