Russia spends over 23 bln rubles in two days on support for pharma industry - PM
MOSCOW. March 23 (Interfax) - The Russian government has allocated 23 billion rubles in the past two days for production of medical and pharmaceutical products needed to combat the coronavirus, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said.
"We will stimulate domestic manufacturers of items that are needed for prevention and to combat the coronavirus. We allocated more than 23 billion rubles literally in the past two days for support of the medical and pharmaceutical industry," Mishustin said Monday morning at a meeting with deputy prime ministers.
The money will go foremost toward the purchase of the necessary equipment, such as thermal imagers, contactless thermometers, air disinfection machines and so on, he said.
"This refers to those medical products and equipment that are now in stronger demand. We will also support enterprises so that they can increase production and output of such products," Mishustin said.
Subsidies will be distributed through the Industry Development Fund, he said. "Both existing enterprises and new investment projects in this area will be able to receive them," Mishustin said.