Hindustan Syringes and Medical Devices (HMD), India’s largest manufacturer of syringes, has shuttered its plants following a directive from the Haryana Pollution Control Board, triggering concerns of a possible shortage of syringes and needles in India. The company meets two-thirds of India’s total syringe requirements.
It operates four manufacturing units within an 11-acre complex in Faridabad and has shut three of them, including its main plant, on being asked to do so by the state authority on Friday.
“Today afternoon, we decided to shut down production at our complex,” Rajiv Nath, managing director, HMD, told ET. Nath said the company doesn’t have buffer stock beyond two days. “We can’t feed needles beyond two days of buffer stock from Monday. The daily production of 1.2 crore syringes will not be available from Monday,” he said. The figure includes 40 lakh syringes manufactured at another plant, which HMD plans to shut on Monday.
HMD Writes to PM, Health Ministry
“Syringes are already in short supply in India and globally,” said Nath. “The crisis has got worse as we have been asked to shut the units on a voluntary basis. This will have an impact on production of 150 lakh needles daily and 80 lakhs syringes daily.”
The Haryana Pollution Control Board has called for the closure of 228 units in Faridabad.
“The pollution board thought the plants were running on diesel generator sets,” Nath said. “We assured them we have not been doing it, but they were not convinced.” The company was asked to close down on a voluntary basis to avoid prosecution and sealing of the unit.
HMD has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking for declaration of syringes required for Covid-19 vaccination and curative healthcare as critical medical devices under the National Disaster Management Act and ensure uninterrupted operation of its plants.
It has also written to the health ministry, seeking special consideration as is being given to hospitals and healthcare service providers.
