HMD to make a Billion Auto Disable Immunization Syringes for Covid-19 Vaccination
Rajiv Nath, Managing Director Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices Ltd
New Delhi: As India gets ready for COVID-19 Vaccine, Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices Ltd (HMD), one of the largest manufacturers of disposable syringes in the world and the largest for auto disable syringes, has said that the company is scaling up production to a billion by the first half of 2021.
“We have received orders from UNICEF to increase our supply of immunization AD syringes to the organisation to around 300 million to build up a stockpile of around 140 million syringes for Covid-19 by the end of the year,” said Rajiv Nath, Managing Director, HMD.
As the race for a ‘safe and effective’ vaccine against coronavirus infection is on the horizon, Pune based drugmaker Serum Institute of India is all set to start the advance clinical trial of University of Oxford vaccine, while continuing to work alongside on four more vaccines candidates. In addition, Covaxin, India’s first coronavirus vaccine has been developed by Bharat Biotech, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV). The clinical trial to verify the safety of the potential COVID-19 vaccine started about two weeks back. If successful, it may be available by end of the year. Zydus is the 3rd of the 7 vaccine manufacturers in the running.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 has taught the importance of infection prevention practices like hand-hygiene to all. The focus has shifted to single use disposable consumables from reuse consumables and especially a change has been seen in higher deployment of auto-disable syringes even for curative injections. WHO and. UNICEF also recommend that auto-disable syringes be used for administering vaccines— particularly in mass immunization programs.Moreover, WHO has suggested the use of auto-disable syringes to collect blood samples of Covid 19 patients, which in turn, helps to avoid the transmission of disease through healthcare equipment,” explained Nath.
With over 9 plants, HMD has created a niche for their disposable syringe ―Dispovan which is today the most popular brand in syringe market in India with over 60% market share with Dispovan Needle and Disposable Insulin Syringes having over 70% Market Share and thereby displaced renowned MNC‘s – an inspirational case study for other Indian entrepreneurs.
HMD is one of the largest suppliers to UNICEF for Auto Disable Syringes for immunization and is the first Company in India to manufacture Auto Disable Syringes for Curative Segment.
HMD is regularly supplying KOJAK Auto disable Syringes for immunization campaigns conducted by the Ministry of Health (Govt.of India) & UNICEF & few Third World Countries where reuse of injections risky practices continue to exist. For the Curative Sector, HMD is supplying its Auto Disable Syringes for re- use prevention to various State Governments like-Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh etc. apart from exporting into many Countries in Africa.
As India gets ready for COVID-19 vaccine, the Govt. should be well equipped with secured stock of syringes in advance to administer a vaccine when it is approved and ready. At least 60 to 70% of 1.3 Billion people in India and 7.8 Billion people Worldwide will need syringes for Covid-19 vaccine.
HMD’s commitment to produce billions of immunisation AD syringes for the global COVID-19 vaccination reinforces the company’s vision to contribute to better healthcare in the country and internationally in areas of injection safety, patients safety, affordable access and stand with the country to fight the deadly virus.
