CIPLA’S Durban manufacturing facility is ready to re-open its doors and resume operations after it was looted and vandalised in the recent civil unrest.
That’s according to Paul Miller, the global pharmaceutical company’s South African CEO, who said some media outlets had incorrectly reported that the facility in South Coast Road, Mobeni had burnt down.
Mumbai, India-headquartered Cipla primarily develops medicines to treat respiratory, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, weight control and depression.
Miller said that after the looting incident, Cipla “implemented contingency measures such as leveraging our global supply chain and other manufacturing sites, to ensure continuity of medicine supply, especially for key therapeutic areas such as anti-retrovirals for people living with HIV”.
He added that the company had a “good amount” of buffer stock in its other distribution centres across the country, which helped to mitigate supply disruptions.
“Cipla staff have displayed an indomitable spirit and worked tirelessly to ensure that we can resume operations as quickly as possible at this facility. We were also blessed with support from various other roleplayers in the local community who helped in the aftermath of this incident,” he said.
The company employed five contractors to fast-track the intensive clean-up operation and reparation process at this Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certified facility.
