NewsGram Staff Writer

Mumbai: Maharashtra Governor CV Rao on Saturday called upon the Indian pharmaceutical industry to develop drugs to combat lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular ailments and tuberculosis.

Speaking at the golden jubilee celebrations of the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) in Mumbai, the governor said lifestyle diseases were playing havoc in the country.

Rao urged the research-based pharma industry to lay renewed thrust on research and innovation and significantly hike investments in drug development and research activities.

"The senior population in India, which is currently 90 million, would touch around 173 million in the next 10 years and the OPPI must make comprehensive plans for their physical, financial, emotional safety and well-being," Rao said.

He lauded the OPPI for "improving the life quality of Indian and also from other under-developed and developing countries" besides partnering India's growth and development vide technical collaborations, disease awareness programs, patient-access initiatives and drug safety efforts.

To mark the OPPI milestone, Rao felicitated eminent people like Dr Tarun Gupta, Dr J N Banerjee, Prof RD Joshi, Ranjit Shahani, Dr Prathap Reddy, Dr D B Gupta for their outstanding contributions to OPPI.

OPPI is an organisation of research-based pharma companies in the country with members like Abbott, Bayer's, GSK, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi, etc.

(With inputs from IANS)