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Good morning. In today’s edition — an interview with Dr Sanjeev Panchal, AstraZeneca’s India MD where he speaks about improving healthcare access through innovations in the supply chain and collaborations; waste from the Bhopal gas tragedy finally being removed; and ​​Adani Enterprises plans to exit Adani Wilmar. 

CORE CONVERSATIONS

‘Science, Sustainability Are On Top Of Our Mind’: Dr Sanjeev Panchal of AstraZeneca On Improving Supply Chain

AstraZeneca, widely recognised for delivering the Covishield vaccine to millions during the pandemic, is focusing on broader healthcare challenges in India. Originally specialising in oncology, cardiovascular, renal, and rare diseases, the pharmaceutical company pivoted to vaccines in collaboration with Oxford University. Now, it is employing artificial intelligence for early cancer detection, conducting over half a million X-ray scans that identified 1,857 nodules, with the aim of diagnosing lung cancer at its earliest stages. AstraZeneca is also expanding its rare disease portfolio and introducing treatments for conditions like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in preterm infants.

In an interview with TheCore, Dr Sanjeev Panchal, AstraZeneca’s India MD, outlined plans to improve healthcare access through innovations in the supply chain and collaborations with governments and private partners. 

Highlighting the company’s global ambition to eliminate lung cancer deaths by 2030, he said “In India, we are using technology, which is AI, and we are using X-ray, providing AI, partnering with the AI company and with the government to ensure that we understand early lung cancer and not detect at late stage.”

The interview also further delves into why early detection of diseases is important and the need for improving access to medicine.

PODCAST

In this edition of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj is joined by Amitesh Rao, CEO at Leo Burnett South Asia. They discuss the current state of advertising - how data affects creativity and ideation, the limitations of influencer marketing, premiumisation in India and how that affects the approach to ad campaigns, how story and myth still play a part in communication, the demands of India's growing affluent class and much more.

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CORE NUMBER

377 metric tonnes 

This is how much hazardous waste is being removed from the now-defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, a process that began on Sunday. Union Carbide is the epicentre of the gas tragedy that took place on the night of  December 2, 1984, when methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked from the factory. It killed thousands and left lakhs of others with long-term and debilitating health issues. The waste, which is being cleared 40 years after the incident, will be disposed of in Pithampur near Indore. Authorities have said safety measures had been taken to avoid contamination of land and water where the waste is being disposed.

FROM THE PERIPHERY

—💰Adani Enterprises has announced a complete exit from its 44% stake in Adani Wilmar Ltd, a joint venture with Singapore-based Wilmar International that produces popular edible oil brands like Fortune. The move is aimed at focusing on its core infrastructure businesses, the company said. The divestment will occur in two phases: a stake sale to Wilmar International’s subsidiary, Lence Pte Ltd, and a partial divestment to meet public shareholding norms. This development comes as Adani Group remains under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), raising questions about the timing of the group’s restructuring amid regulatory scrutiny.

—💸Indian banks' bad loan ratio could rise from a 12-year low of 2.6% in September 2024 to 3% by March 2026, according to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Financial Stability Report. In worst-case scenarios, it could hit 5% or 5.3%. Despite this, the RBI assures banks will meet the 9% capital requirement. The central bank has also tightened lending rules and stressed the importance of strong risk management. Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Monday expressed optimism about India’s economic recovery, citing high consumer and business confidence. The RBI remains focused on financial stability, even amid global uncertainties and potential risks to the financial system. 

—🚨Thousands of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants protested at Patna's Gandhi Maidan on December 29, demanding a re-exam of the 70th preliminary exam, citing a question paper leak. The protest turned chaotic as police used lathi charges and water cannons to control the crowd. FIRs were filed against over 700 individuals, including politician Prashant Kishor and coaching centre owners, for allegedly inciting unrest and disrupting public order. Despite warnings, police claimed the protesters disrupted public order, escalating the demand for a re-examination into a full-blown confrontation.

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