60% of syringes in India unsafe: Study

Patients beware. Next time when you need an injection, make sure that your doctor uses an auto disposable syringe and not merely a disposable one.

A World Bank funded study, conducted by the ministry of health, reveals that over 60 per cent of the injections administered at the country level are unsafe.

The India National Injection Safety Assessment study, by India Clinical Epidemiology Network (CLEN) under N K Arora of AIIMS, says that the safety of injections is poorest at immunisation clinics due to the use of glass syringes.

It is understood that the ministry of health is planning to make the usage of auto disposable syringes mandatory at Central government hospitals as well as the national immunisation programmes.

Sources close to the development said that the issue has been raised in the Parliament and a notice to this effect is expected shortly.

In anticipation of the government making the use of auto disposable syringes mandatory, some domestic manufacturers are converting their disposable syringe manufacturing facilities into auto disposable syringe units, besides increasing existing capacities.

Pradep Sareen, general manager (marketing), Hindustan Syringe and Medical Devices (HMD), told Business Standard: "We have embarked on the second phase of our expansion plan to increase our overall capacity to 240 million auto disposable syringes per annum. As a part of our Rs 100 crore expansion plan, we are implementing the third phase of `Dispovan' expansion and 2nd phase for `Kojak' as well as for our I V Cannulas - `Cathy' brand."

The Rs 225 crore syringes and needles manufacturing company is the largest in India which has now acquired the World Health Organisation's approval for its auto disposable syringes.

Sareen said with the government's decision on the use of auto disposable syringes, there is a huge growth potential.

According to the company's estimate, over the next two-three years the market for immunisation category auto disposable syringes is expected to be 250-300 million syringes per annum, while the curative category auto disposable syringes market is expected to be 100-200 million per annum.