Syringe and needle producers in the country are an anguished lot, as they face the prospect of their hard-earned reputation getting dented globally.

Following a Government directive this week, restricting the export of syringes – these manufacturers find themselves in a position where they will not be able to honour existing global commitments. A tag of being “undependable”, they caution, affects not just these entrepreneurs but also the country.

Rajiv Nath, President, All India Syringes and Needles Manufacturers Association, urges the Government to have a dialogue with the industry for better supply-chain management so no one’s left is unhappy. Nath is also Chairman and Managing Director, Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices (HMD), India’s largest syringe maker and among the largest global producers of auto-disable syringes.