Govt. calls for more localisation in pharmaceuticals

The country presently spends an estimated Rs. 25 million or more annually to import Western medicine. Of the total investment, the State brings in Rs. 20-21 million of the medicines while the private sector spends Rs. 4-5 billion annually.

Sirisena, noting that there was mismanagement in distribution and storage of Paracetamol, stated that the Health Ministry imports 50 million tablets for a month.

 “This would mean every citizen drinking 2.5 tablets of Paracetamol daily. We have issued a circular on proper management.”

He stated that if such products could be locally manufactured, the Government was willing to purchase from those companies on agreement without calling tenders. Localised manufacturing of medicines would ease the storage traffic of medicine in the country as the companies could then send the medicines to provincial storages, which could be the distributing point.

“The Government is ready to buy a two-to-three-year supply of gloves used for laboratory work from local manufacturers based on legal regulations without calling for tenders.”

Sirisena stated that the Government had progressive plans for the pharmaceutical industry and invited more investors to partake in realising them.