Sales of drugs and medicine fill Telangana coffers as Covid cases surge

Hyderabad: Amid a surge in the Covid cases, a steep increase in drug sales has placed Telangana as one of the top 10 States in the country in the sale of pharmaceutical products. In April and May this year, the sale of drugs mainly anti-infective and nutritional drug sales doubled in the wake of increasing Covid positive cases in the T State. In all, drug sales including surgical materials in two months have registered a 60 per cent rise, accounting for Rs 2,000 Crore, which is the highest ever drug sales in Telangana.

The sudden spike in drug sales, however, has come as a breather to the State government which incurred a huge revenue loss due to lockdown which has been imposed from May 12 in the State. Officials said that the only trading activity in full swing in Telangana in the crisis time was the high sale of drugs. Antibiotics and antiviral drugs and vitamin tablets were in high demand in the State. The demand for costly life-saving drugs had also increased. The monthly turnover of drugs was two times more in the last two months.

Officials said that patients rush from the neighbouring States for Corona treatment to Hyderabad could be one of the main reasons for increasing the demand for medicines. The import of life-saving drugs from foreign countries has also increased many folds as the State government and corporate hospitals ordered costly medicine in the crisis time. After the enforcement of lockdown.