Nation gets 40% of medicines from Hyderabad: KTR

Out of six companies which are in the process of developing a Covid-19 vaccine, 4 are in the city, Hyderabad-based company Reevax Pharma dedicates UVRova BR robot to Gandhi Hospital

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy at a Covid-19 testing centre in Hyderabad on Saturday

HYDERABAD:  It and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao said that 35-40 per cent of medicines are currently being supplied to the entire country from Hyderabad. Rama Rao, who virtually launched CII’s Centre for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Start-ups, said, “Telangana continues to remain the largest hubs for the operations and research of pharma in India.

In fact, I am proud to share, since healthcare has become such an important topic, today 25-40 per cent pharma produced in India is from Hyderabad.” He said out of the six companies, which were in the process of developing a vaccine for Covid-19, four were headquartered in Hyderabad. “I hope the vaccine comes out soon and that it will come from India and Hyderabad,” he said.

He said Remdisivir, the drug which was being used to combat Covid-19 was also being produced in Hyderabad. Rama Rao highlighted the opportunities in the life sciences sector, especially with the current situation.

MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao inspects the robot UVRova BR which will be deployed at the Gandhi Hospital Intensive Care Unit for disinfecting the recently vacated beds

“The possibility of combining artificial intelligence, machine learning and convergence points of other important sectors such as  healthhcare and life sciences present a brilliant opportunity,” he said. He said samples of Switzerland based Novartis, whose centre in Hyderabad is the second largest in the world and is working on digital drug discovery. Apart from that, while congratulating CII on the start-up centre, said, “There is significant scope (for India’s start-up ecosystem) to grow even further and stronger.”

Nurses boycott duties, to continue protest
Hyderabad: More than 200 nurses working on an outsourcing basis at Gandhi Hospital boycotted duties on Saturday. The nurses staged a dharna on the hospital premises, near its entrance gate, from 9 am to 5 pm. One of the protesting nurses told Express that no one from the government has reached out to them, offering a solution.

“We have decided to continue our protest and will boycott duties on Sunday as well,” the nurse said. These nurses have been working at the hospital for the past 13 years, at present earning a take-home salary of Rs 15,000 per month. They demand that their services be regularised