Indian exporters gear up to supply medicinal products to war-torn Ukraine

Mumbai, March 30, 2022:

Indian drug exporters have geared up to supply pharmaceutical products to war-torn Ukraine following the latter’s appeal.

The Russian Federation initiated a full-scale military invasion in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The missile strikes along with large battles in Ukrainian cities has led to growing need for the medicines, medical devices, first-aid kits and other relevant goods in Ukraine.

The Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) has received a communication from the team of the State Enterprise "Medical Procurement of Ukraine" seeking supply of essential medicines and lifesaving products from India.
 
The list of required essential medicines and lifesaving products as sought by the Ukrainian authorities includes atropine injection, heparin sodium injection, hydroxyethyl starch, dexamethasone, diazepam, dopamine, epinephrine adrenaline, ethanol, isosorbide dinitrate, insulin injection, mannitol, naloxone, sodium chloride, neostigmine, ondansetron, povidone-iodine, salbutamol, tranexamic acid, furosemide, oxygen, fresh-frozen plasma, ketamine, sevoflurane, furosemide, cryoprecipitate, propofol, thiopental, bupivacaine, lidocaine, morphine, fentanyl, acetylcysteine.
 
The list further includes cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, amoxicillin + clavulanic acid, imipenem + cilastatin, meropenem, daptomycin, linezolid, cefepime, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, vancomycin, flucytosine, protamine sulfate, glucose, potassium chloride, suxamethonium, atracurium, vecuronium, noxaparin, bisoprolol, metoprolol, gentamicin, erythromycin, nitrofurantoin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, theophylline, loperamide, piperacillin and enzyme inhibitor, nitrous oxide,  methylthioninium chloride, paracetamol, sodium thiosulfate, clonidine, diclofenac, amiodarone, verapamil etc.
 
The Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine, other public bodies and volunteers are currently involved in arranging deliveries of required supplies to cover the needs of the nation.
 
Delivery can be sent to Ukraine through the Ukrainian border in the western part. It is possible and safe. Deliveries are held within a simplified procedure, there is no need to go through the customs clearance or any other complications. The warehouses to accept the cargo are located in the Western regions. Also, there is a warehouse available in Helm (Poland). The items can be delivered there alternatively, said Uday Bhaskar, director general, Pharmexcil.
 
Pharmexcil appealed to drug exporters dealing the above-mentioned products to send their proposals to Oleksandr Berezhnyy - head of logistics department, State Enterprise “Medical Procurement of Ukraine” at o.berezhnyy@medzakupivli.com.
 
The Council has requested exporters interested to supply the goods as per requested list to specify certain details in their proposals including delivery mode preferable (to Ukraine or Poland); supply time to the point of delivery (if in batches, delivery time for each batch, goods that they are ready to supply), quantities for each good (if in batches, quantities of goods listed within each batch).
 
Acting upon the Pharmexcil’s request, a slew of Indian drug exporters have evinced interest to supply pharmaceutical products to war-affected Ukraine on humanitarian ground.
 
Said Sandeep Modi, secretary and director, Federation of Pharmaceuticals and Allied Product Merchant Exporters (FPME), “It has been more than a month since Russia launched military operation in Ukraine resulting in crumbling healthcare infrastructure in Ukraine. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis has taken its toll on the health of Ukrainians. They are struggling to get access to medical supplies which have been disrupted since the conflict started. A number of FPME members have risen to the occasion to cater to the medical needs of the Ukrainians on humanitarian grounds.” Pharmabiz