India to send fever drugs to China amid Covid surge

India is ready to step up exports of fever medicines to China as it reels from a spike in coronavirus cases, the chairperson of an Indian drug export body said, according to Reuters.

India’s foreign ministry said the country, one of the biggest makers of generic medicines in the world, said the country, one of the biggest makers of generic medicines in the world, was ready to help China. However, there is no response from Chinese embassy in this regard.

According to media reports, there has been a huge shortage of anti-viral drugs in the Chinese markets. Shortages of antiviral drugs such as ibuprofen and paracetamol have created panic.

The outbreak of omicron sub-variant, BF.7, has triggered massive concern in the communist nation, with experts flagging fear of millions of deaths if the outbreak is not tackled on time. China’s sudden easing of strict coronavirus rules earlier this month triggered a surge in demand for fever medicines and virus test kits on the mainland, leading to shops imposing limits on how much customers can buy and drug makers ramping up production, reported Outlook.

“Marketing queries are coming to drugmakers asking for quotes on ibuprofen and paracetamol,” Sahil Munjal, chairperson of the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), told Reuters. “Ibuprofen and paracetamol are facing a shortage in China at the moment, they are high in demand.”

“We are keeping an eye on the COVID situation in China,” foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a regular news briefing. “We have always helped other countries as the pharmacy of the world.” India’s pharma exports to China accounted for just 1.4% of its overall exports in 2021/22, according to Pharmexcil’s latest annual report. The United States remains India’s largest destination for drugs exports.

According to Pharmexcil’s most recent annual report, India’s pharmaceutical exports to China made up barely 1.4% of all of its exports in 2021–2022. India’s major export market for medications is still the United States.