Gujarat boasts of a total 4,196 units engaged in the manufacture, research and development of allopathic, ayurvedic and homeopathic medicines. But the city’s Air Cargo Complex doesn’t boast of any facilities for the storage of reagents — exported or imported — required for research.

Scientists working in pharma companies admit that it affects their research work.

The state accounts for about 40 per cent of the total pharmaceutical production in India, according to the Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) figures.

The ACC at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport has cold-storage facilities, but lacks basic requirements for storing imported reagents during Customs clearance.

A spot check by The Indian Express revealed that the ACC cold-storage facility has a temperature range between 2 and 10 degrees centigrade and 10 and 25 degrees centigrade. A cold-storage for special reagents for use in pharmaceutical research, should be in the 0 to – 50 degrees centigrade range, say scientists.

A senior scientist working in the field of health research said: “As it is we do not get reagents on time, and to top it all, when these costly reagents are imported for research, there is the danger of spoilage due to lack of proper storage facility at the airport. We then have to rush for Customs clearance.”

A customs clearance agent recounted how a batch of exports had to be disposed due to lack of storage facilities compounded by the delay in Customs clearance. “Recently we were forced to dispose injections and medical products, leading to losses,” he said.

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