The Delhi government on Tuesday told all resident doctors on strike to resume work with immediate effect and was planning to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to force an end to the strike. "We are planning to impose ESMA on resident doctors of government hospitals here who are continuing their strike even after the government accepted 19 of their demands and made the minutes of the meeting public," the official said. "The strike is not justified when we have agreed to all the demands. Doctors of Delhi government hospitals should resume their work and not join with central government hospitals," the official added. The government had given a deadline to the doctors till 11 am on Tuesday to resume their duties. Patients in government hospitals in Delhi are having a harrowing time since 15,000 resident doctors began an indefinite strike, demanding adequate life-saving drugs, security at workplace and timely payment of their salaries. The strike on Monday by resident doctors at 20 hospitals run by the central and Delhi governments and municipal corporations, including Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Maulana Azad Medical College affected services at the facilities. The strike affected OPD (outpatient department) and private ward services but emergency services were not interrupted, claimed a doctor at Safdarjung Hospital. Sajid Khan, a 67-year-old patient said, "I visited a hospital as I am down with fever, cough and cold but had to return as I was not attended to." According to the doctors, the government has failed to fulfil their demands regarding which they earlier had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union health minister. The Delhi government later accepted all the 19 demands of the striking doctors in a two-hour-long meeting held at the Delhi Secretariat, which was attended by around 25 resident doctors. However, protesting doctors have not called off the strike and claim that final decision will be made only after Delhi government makes minutes of the meeting public. "We are yet to receive minutes of the meeting and only after reviewing it, a final decision will be made," a doctor on strike, who attended the meeting, said on Monday. A senior official, however, said, "The strike is not justified when we have agreed to all the demands. Strict action would be taken against striking doctors if they do not resume duty by tomorrow morning." The doctors have been demanding adequate generic and life- saving drugs, security at workplace, fixed duty hours and timely payment of their salaries. On February 27, resident doctors had gone on a day-long strike over similar issues but it was called off after both the Centre and the state government held a meeting and discussed their issues. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted on the issue, "Most demands of striking doctors genuine. I have directed Health Department to implement them. Health Department should have resolved it earlier (sic)." Congress, meanwhile, extended support to the striking doctors, and asked the Delhi government to address their demands immediately as the possibility of spurt in cases of illnesses lurks with the advent of monsoon. (Agencies)
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Two months after the official merger of the two companies in April 2015, Ranbaxy’s Indian office lost 18 top officials, including the CFO. The industry believes that many more job cuts in the top, middle management and at the shop floor are on cards, says C H UnnikrishnanIndustry consolidation by way of acquisitions or mergers is a 'well considered' strategic move in modern business as it helps big and financially strong organisations to grow bigger and the acquired or merged one to get a valuation that it deserves for the exit. On both the sides, the only one who benefit are the promoter. One gets a bigger business and the other gets money. But, none really bothers about the other two key stakeholders--the employees and the customer as they always lose in the game. The customer stands to lose in the industry consolidation process due to lesser competition in the market and the employees will lose their job as there is only lesser opportunity. The latest case is in India in this context is the country's biggest consolidation deal (till date)-in the pharma space -- the $4 billion worth merger transaction between Dilip Shangvi- led Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd and Daiichi Sankyo Company owned Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. This strategic deal enabled the buyer Shangvi double his global generic drug foot print, while the seller Daiichi a profitable exit. Immediately after the deal, Sun Pharma said it will have a $250 million synergy from the deal in the next three years of the merger. Sun Pharma and Ranbaxy were rivals in equal strength in the world generic drug market, including India, in terms of products, manufacturing and distribution. Unfortunately, Ranbaxy lost market share in the high margin US business due to regulatory compliance issues at its Indian plants since 2008, shortly after Japanese drug maker Daiichi bought the promoters’stake in the company--yet another consolidation. It lost half the revenue prompting significant fall in its market valuation. Sun Pharma’s synergy projection was mainly targeted at the resource optimisation, which is nothing but cutting duplications in management, manufacturing, sales and research. While at least 40 per cent of this savings was expected from a cut in top management and sales force at various locations, another 20-25 per cent is expected through rationalizing the distribution channel, mainly in India and the US. The rest will be from cutting overlaps in products and manufacturing sites. As expected, it happened. A few months after the deal in April 2014, Ranbaxy is faced with an exodus. At least five top management executives including country head Venkatachalam Krishnan and heads of various key departments such as finance, legal, and sales and distribution at Ranbaxy’s US office had to leave. Two months after the official merger of the two companies in April 2015, Ranbaxy’s Indian office lost 18 top officials, including the chief financial officer Indrajit Banerjee, were shown the door. The industry believes that many more job cuts in the top, middle management and at the shop floor are on cards. It makes better economical sense to Sun Pharma. It doesn’t want to have duplication in management, manufacturing and sales. Instead of spending huge money on making Ranbaxy plants complied to the US drug norms and maintaining hundreds of employees there, it can very well make those products in its own plants by merely transferring those product registrations. With this consolidation, Daiichi, the majority owner of Ranbaxy, made more money after selling the stake. Sun Pharma promoter will make more money by eliminating the competition and saving cost. Much before all these, Ranbaxy promoters --the Singh brothers Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh and family made money after selling their stake to Daiichi. But, in the market place, the consumer (patients) lost one cheaper or better choice. The employees, who built Ranbaxy over these years, lost their jobs. And, there weren’t anyone to negotiate for them as Malvinder Singh negotiated with Daiichi in 2008 to guarantee him his highly paid job as chief executive officer for the next five years even after selling his stake. There also, the promoter only won.
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In a country-wide campaign, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is organising yoga sessions for India Inc on Sunday (June 21), the International Day of Yoga. Thousands of representatives of industry, including CEOs, employees and family members, are rolling out their yoga mats to participate in the event. "CII congratulates the Government of India for recognition of yoga at the United Nations and wholeheartedly supports efforts for its international popularisation. Yoga, which originated in India, prevents incidence of non-communicable diseases, which seriously impacts social and economic development,” said Sumit Mazumder, president, CII, on Friday (19 June). “CII has long been active in promoting public health awareness among employees of Indian companies. The International Day of Yoga is a chance to re-emphasise Indian industry’s engagement with holistic health outcomes, which are critical to overall national productivity and competitiveness,” said Chandrajit Banerjee, director-general, CII. CII, which has 62 offices across India, is partnering the Isha Foundation, founded by Sadhguru, in holding yoga sessions in industrial hubs. The Iyengar Institute, Art of Living, and other yoga promoting institutes are also collaborating with CII. The CII central office will celebrate International Day of Yoga with a discourse by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudeva in New Delhi. CII eastern region is hosting yoga sessions in Kolkata with 200 industry members. About 400 participants are expected to take part in Jamshedpur, Raipur, Bhubaneswar, and Patna. In Mumbai, CII western region is partnering the Iyengar Institute for Yoga. Practice sessions will also be held at Indore, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Goa and Pune.
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DGCI, G N Singh is in talks with international agencies like USDFA, PMDA and European agencies to overlook how they control online sale of medicine, writes Arshad KhanThe Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) will be formulating a new regulatory framework for online sales of medicines to bring the controversial e-pharmacy under its sphere and ensure safety of consumers. "The role, responsibilities and liabilities of e-commerce marketplace and the product sellers need to be clearly defined. It becomes even more critical to have a framework in place when the intermediary is selling drugs where the safety and health of the consumer is of paramount importance," said DCGI, G N Singh. Speaking at the Ficci’s consultative meeting on 'Pharma Guidelines for Reinforcing Due Diligence for Intermediaries’ Singh said the industry needs a new regulatory framework to effectively bring e-pharmacy under its ambit since The Drugs and Cosmetics Act does not have any guidelines for e-commerce players in pharmaceuticals sector. Drugs Controller General (India) appointed Ficci as the nodal agency for consolidating the guidelines and for seeking views from All India Chemists and Druggists Association, States Chemists and Druggists Associations, OPPI (Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producer of India), Indian Medical Association, CIPI, BDMA, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and consumer forums. Singh said that he is in talk with international agencies like USDFA, PMDA and European agencies to overlook how they control online sale of medicine. It is important for us to over from conventional to modern system of governance which a place for e-pharmacy. Hence, it is essential to create guidelines for e-pharmacy that checks the use of technology as safety of patient, quality of drugs and robust supply chain. To resolve these issues complaints being filed against e-commerce players for online sale of prescription based drugs, Singh suggested that it would be beneficial for the regulator to engage with stakeholders in constructive brainstorming deliberations to reach a consensus. Singh assured that the interest of small retailers will be protected and it would be ensured that e-pharmacy does not disturb the existing supply chain system in place. The aim would be to integrate e-pharmacy in the existing system On the issue of complaints filed against e-commerce players for online sale of prescription drugs, Singh suggested that it be beneficial for the regulator to engage with the stakeholders in constructive to reach a final conclusion He added that the government was forthcoming in adopting industry's recommendations and the Drugs Controller General would assist in providing a legal status to implementable suggestions of industry. He also assured that the interest of small retailers will be protected and it would be ensured that e-pharmacy does not disturb the existing supply chain system in place. Backgroud In April, Maharashtra's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) conducted raid on the premises of Snapdeal.Com for allegedly selling medicines, including prescription drugs. Post this incident, several state FDAs have cracked down on such e-retailers that were selling prescription drugs in their jurisdiction. For example, the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration(FDCA) had cracked down on a Surat-based firm Prowisor Pharma, an online pharmacy last month. More recently, Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA) wrote to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for not allowing online pharmacies in India. All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) too urged the government to put a ban on the same.
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Mexico has approved bio-pharmaceutical major Biocon's insulin Glargine. Mexican health authority COFEPRIS,, through its partner PiSA Farmaceutica (PiSA), approved the insulin, it was announced on Friday (10 April). Mexico has been a very important market for Biocon since 2006, where it has been playing a significant role in enabling access to affordable rh-Insulin. Insulin Glargine will augment the affordable insulins therapy for diabetes management. ‘GALACTUS’ by PiSA is the first Insulin Glargine to be approved in Mexico as per the biocomparable approvals pathway defined in 2012. Biocon is as Asia’s largest insulins producer and has been committed to affordable diabetes management through rh-Insulin (Insugen ®) and Insulin Glargine (Basalog ®) in India and several emerging markets. The company currently has marketing approvals in over 60 countries for rh-Insulin and in over 20 countries for Insulin Glargine. Biocon Chairperson & Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said: “We are committed to make global impact with our affordable insulins therapy. Our Insulin Glargine, will now enable access to a basal insulin which will further expand the diabetes management therapy for patients in Mexico.” Diabetes is a major health risk in Mexico, over 70 per cent of the Mexican population is overweight thus prone to developing diabetes. With over 9 million cases of diabetes, it poses a huge disease burden for the government with per capita expenditure on diabetes being as high as $892.5. Biocon’s presence in Mexico, over the last eight years, has expanded the insulins market substantially by initiating many more patients onto insulin therapy. The increasing affordability of Insulin Glargine will now enable Biocon and PiSA to expand this reach further. The combined market for Insulin Glargine in Mexico is estimated to be in excess of $40 million.
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Norbert Hueltenschmidt, head, Healthcare Practice, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Bain & Company, tells BW’s Joe C. Mathew what the the government’s healthcare priorities should be.
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A new India has to be built on the foundation of a healthy India. Countries around the globe have kept healthcare at the core of their economic development. The socio-economic benefit of a strong healthcare sector not only translates into the creation of a healthy and more productive community but is also one of the world’s largest and fastest growing sectors.
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On 1 November, Kerala kick-started a scheme to distribute generic drugs free to all patients in five government medical college hospitals and three general hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. A total of 952 drugs, including antibiotics and those for cancer, respiratory, cardiac, ophthalmic and ENT ailments, will be procured and supplied by the Kerala Medical Services Corporation (KMSCL) to these hospitals.
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