Kathmandu, September 20

Nepal Drugs Limited is planning to increase production of Jeeval Jal to meet the growing demand for the most well known brand of oral rehydration solution.

There is a demand for one lakh packets of Jeevan Jal per week, according to

Robhash Kusam Subedi, general manager, NDL. However, NDL has been producing only 10,000 packets of Jeevan Jal per week. “As there is a huge gap between demand and supply, we are planning to increase production to meet the demand,” added Subedi.

The drug manufacturing company also plans to produce paracetamol tablets by December 1. It said it would produce five lakh paracetamol tablets a week. The design for the new manufacturing plants have already been approved and construction work is under way.

In addition, the company also plans to produce medicines of the non-penicillin group. The company will produce other drugs including amzit, albendazole, amoxicillin, iron tablets, among others.

“We plan to produce 70 types of highly essential drugs,” said Subedi.

Established four decades ago the company had halted production for around eight years for failing to adopt Good Manufacturing Practices set by World Health Organisation. The company resumed operation on May 7, 2017 after it received Rs 146.5 million loan from the government to procure essential raw materials and upgrade facilities.

NDL started production of oral rehydration solution by upgrading facilities after receiving the first instalment of Rs 64.8 million from the finance ministry.