Rise in viral infections, Covid drives drug sales in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: A spike in cases of viral infections along with a steady rise in Covid-19 infections as well as that of flu has led to the rise in sales of anti-infectives and drugs for treating respiratory infections.
According to data by Pharmarack AWACS, an integrated B2B pharma and healthcare platform, the sale of anti-infectives grew 23% in March whereas that of drugs for respiratory illnesses went up 44% during the month in Gujarat.
The sale of anti-infectives stood at Rs 72.2 crore in March 2023 whereas that for drugs used to treat respiratory illnesses was Rs 51.8 crore during the month. Across India, sales of anti-infectives and respiratory drugs grew 32.4% and 49.7% respectively, according to Pharmarack AWACS.
Overall, the Indian pharma market clocked 13% growth in sales in terms of value in March as compared to the corresponding month last year.
According to state government data, Gujarat reported some 4,509 cases of Covid-19 in March alone.
Additionally, estimates by general practitioners suggest that on an average, the state saw hundreds of fresh cases of flu reported every single day during the month. This, according to researchers, could be one of the key reasons for the spike in sales.
"March particularly saw a spike in Covid-19 infections across the country, including Gujarat. That apart, the incidences of normal flu cases in addition to H3N2 infections were also seen. Most of these infections are linked with respiratory and viral illnesses which also led to a high demand. Moreover, there was a slight correction in the sales value in March 2022 due to which a lower base led to a higher growth this year," said Sheetal Sapale, vice president - commercial, Pharmarack AWACS.
According to medical practitioners, H3N2 patients suffered from a persistent dry cough and there was at least a 30-35% increase in patients at OPDs reporting symptoms of flu and viral infections.