Country must be self-sufficient in all aspects, says PM 

• Opens State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation’s new hormone pills and capsules factory under Govt.’s ‘New Drugs for a New Country’ drive

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa this week reiterated that in order to have hope for the future of the country, the program of making the country self-sufficient in all sectors should be implemented.

He was speaking at the opening of the new hormone pills and capsules factory of the State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC) in Ratmalana on Wednesday.

The SPMC In line with the event presented the newly manufactured Flucloxacillin 500mg tablets under the concept of ‘New Drugs for a New Country’ to the Prime Minister.

While inaugurating the new pharmaceutical plant, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Government strongly believes that everything that can be produced in this country should be produced locally as well as reducing or stopping the imports.

“We received approval to start this project. At that time we had allocated Rs. 4,470 million for this. As a result, the capacity of the SPMC has doubled. So, I do not need to tell people here about the importance of this institution. But we know that about 70% of our drugs are imported from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. So, if we do, we have a responsibility to produce those drugs in this country.”

“We have the people with the knowledge and intelligence required for that. Therefore, we believe that in such a situation we should seek service with wisdom and intelligence. The Government of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa clearly believes that everything that can be produced in this country should be produced in this country and that imports should be reduced or stopped. If so, all we have to do, whether in the medical sector or in any other sector, is to implement the necessary program. I am happy to be able to come to this institution today and gain an understanding of the new activism.”

“We need to make our country self-sufficient in every aspect. Then only we can have hope for our future, I believe,” the Premier said, adding that measures should be taken to establish a pharmaceutical manufacturing zone in Hambantota

Ministers Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Gamini Lokuge and Sarath Weerasekara, State Ministers Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Channa Jayasumana and Seetha Arambepola, Ministry of Health Secretary Maj. Gen. S.H. Munasinghe, SPMC Chairman Uthpala Indrawansa, Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya, and other dignitaries were present.