Indo-Africa Pharma Business Meet at Hyderabad

Pharmexcil, with the support of Department of Commerce, Govt. of India, is undertaking Brand India Campaign in African countries. A 32 member trade delegation, headed by senior govt. officials from department of Commerce is currently visiting South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia.

As part of Brand India Campaign, a 3 day ‘Indo-Africa Pharma Business Meet’ will be held at Hyderabad during 17-19th September 2009 at Hyderabad, involving importers / buyers / FDA / Drug Regulatory officials from various African countries

Highlights of the event:

• The total imports of drugs and pharmaceuticals of Africa Region is around US$ 5,000 mn and India’s share is 20.66% with about US$ 1,005 mn of exports in 2007-08. There exists a huge potential for the Indian pharma exporters to enhance their export performance to African countries.
• 70-80 delegates from major African countries like South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Benin, Guinea, Libya, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia etc. will be invited.
• There will be Technical sessions, where FDA / Drug Regulatory officials of various African countries will make presentations on drug regulatory systems in their respective countries.
• Emphasis will be on one-to-one Meetings with the buyers.
• Plant visits will be organized for the FDA / Drug regulatory authoritiesØ Exhibition by the Indian pharma exporters, to showcase the Indian quality strengths

Guidelines revised for A(H1N1) testing

A day after the first A(H1N1) influenza death was reported from Pune, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Tuesday revised the existing guidelines for testing for the flu. It has left it to the judgement of the doctors at identified government facilities to advise patients whether or not to go for tests.

Making treatment and testing more accessible, the government has also advised the people showing symptoms such as cold, cough, fever and sore throat to go to an identified government health facility.

Patients, both positive and negative cases, will be given the option of staying under home quarantine or remaining in isolation at the hospital, Vineet Chawdhry, joint secretary, told reporters after Union Health and Family Welfare Minister reviewed the swine flu situation in the country at a high power meeting. “However, it will be the discretion of the doctor whether or not he gives the choice to the patients. Even at home, the patient and the attendant will have to follow strict instructions.”

This decision was taken because the government expected a large number of people to report at the health facility with seasonal influenza, many of whom would require testing. Mr. Chawdhry said all suspected patients were earlier quarantined until the tests proved negative.
“But the guidelines for those arriving from outside the country remain unchanged,” he said. This was because many patients did not turn up at the government facilities due to the fear of isolation. “We do not want the Pune tragedy to be repeated.”