Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, Minister Romesh Pathirana, IDMA and SLPMA officials exchange the MoU. Picture by Wimal Karunatillike
The Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) have come at the right time to Sri Lanka as the island is successfully coming out of an economic crisis said Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (SLPMA) to promote pharma manufacturing in Sri Lanka.
He said that three or four decades ago India too did not have a self-sufficient pharmaceutical industry and were heavily relying on imports just like what Sri Lanka is doing now.
“However the Indian pharma manufactures came into JV’s with global pharma manufacturing giants and also shared technology and today India is a world pharmacy and a leading pharmaceutical manufacture and exporter of the world. I am pleased to note that the Sri Lankan Parma sector too is following this same successful path which will yield similar positive results to Sri Lanka soon.”
He also said that two decades ago many Indian intellectuals left the country for employment causing heavy brain drain but today due to India’s rapid development and opportunities that are available they are returning now and sharing their knowledge which is a brain gain.
Minister of Plantation Industries Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said that Sri Lanka Pharma manufacturing has increased rapidly in the last two years.
“This is a very healthy trend and it is continuing and the local manufacturing is also of world class quality and second to none.We are also pleased to see that some of the ‘Made in Sri Lanka’ pharma products too are being exported to bring the much needed revenue to Sri Lanka.”
President of SLPMA Kalana Hewamallika in his message said that the MoU which was signed with IDMA was with the mission to grow the local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry with investments and transfer of technology, to provide a healthy life for Sri Lankan people. In 1956, Sri Lanka took a momentous leap into the Western pharmaceutical industry when Pfizer-Dumex Ltd, entered the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector and since then our manufacturing has increased.
Today local manufacturers of pharmaceuticals command 15% of the market share and approximately 25% of the essential medicines used in the government hospitals and clinics are supplied by them.”
“Today we have 23 local manufactures (with local players) manufacturing in different dosage forms like tablets, capsules, liquids, suspensions, creams & ointments, injectables, inhalers (dry powder & metered dose), breath induced inhaler devices, nasal spray, oxygen, saline and surgical instruments in various therapeutic categories.
“By manufacturing high-quality western medicines, we are actively contributing to the creation of a self-sufficient Sri Lanka, which will result in the saving of foreign currency.”