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Tuesday, 12 August 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Healthcare and Consumer Division of CIC Holdings PLC has been at the forefront of the healthcare industry in Sri Lanka for decades.
Premakumar Weyhenage, Divisional Director, Healthcare and Consumer Division, recently provided an overview of the division’s core functions and further explained how the division has propelled CIC into the role of a leading pharmaceutical and healthcare provider in Sri Lanka.
Weyhenage has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry and began his career as a teacher whose fascination with the sciences led him to become a medical representative.
With an infectious commitment and passion for his work and the good it does for people, Weyhenage worked in various management positions, acquiring decades of experience in the industry’s core areas of operation, including marketing, business development, strategy and management. Today as a Divisional Director, he leads the Healthcare and Consumer Division of CIC, a business unit which is one of the most active and dynamic players in Sri Lanka’s healthcare industry.
An overview of CIC’s Healthcare and Consumer Division
CIC’s Healthcare and Consumer Division comprises two main business units. CIC Pharmaceuticals is involved in the marketing and distribution of pharmaceutical products made by both global multi-nationals and regional manufacturers. The company has an impressive distribution operation that reaches 90% of all pharmacies and hospitals in the country. The business unit also enhances its reach by supplying the modern trade – the country’s extensive network of supermarket based pharmacies.
CIC’s Medical Devices unit markets diagnostic and surgical devices. This unit represents multinationals based in the UK, US, Switzerland and Australia. It focuses on introducing the most innovative solutions available globally for both surgeons and their patients.
Commenting on the impact that CIC’s Healthcare and Consumer Division has on people, Weyhenage said: “CIC’s Medical Devices unit introduces innovative solutions to the Sri Lankan market. These solutions are truly life-saving and make a significant difference in people’s lives. During the war, there were a lot of casualties in the armed forces who sustained severe injuries to their limbs. Our solutions helped save the legs and arms of these soldiers, giving them the opportunity to live a more fulfilling and wholesome life. The facial reconstruction surgery solution introduced by CIC’s Medical Devices unit also helped many war victims and soldiers who had suffered various injuries.
“The unit also recently introduced a unique solution that helps surgeons prevent excessive bleeding during surgeries. Unanticipated blood loss during a surgery can lead to a patient’s death, but by preventing this, surgeons are able to complete a surgery without added risk to the patient’s life. The Healthcare and Consumer Division is continuously searching for more effective treatments and is focused on introducing the latest global healthcare developments to the local market. We are always on a never-ending quest to find the best solutions for our patients and to fill voids and gaps in the market.”
Growing the local pharmaceutical industry
A few years ago CIC Holdings PLC added a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit to the group’s healthcare sector by acquiring a local manufacturing plant, now known as CIC Lifesciences Ltd.
Commenting on this new unit, Weyhenage stated: “This subsidiary company in addition to manufacturing generic brands will now focus on developing a specialist range of medication for common health and lifestyle related ailments. The new range of medication will focus on addressing non-communicable diseases in the country and will assist people suffering from common ailments due to change of lifestyles, diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma. The development of the local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry has been supported greatly by Government policies in the right direction, which have created favorable conditions for the growth and development of the local pharmaceutical industry.”
The truth about local manufacturing
When asked about concerns over the quality of locally produced pharmaceuticals, Weyhenage stated: “Locally produced medicines offer exceptional levels of quality that are on par with international pharmaceutical standards. Our division has never had any complaints about locally produced medicines and the quality of our local production is something I have complete confidence in. Quality has in recent times become integral to the everyday Sri Lankan’s life. Sri Lankans have an unquenchable thirst for quality and they demand quality in every aspect of their lives. With a society that is so conscious and quality driven, it goes without saying that quality is of the greatest importance to local manufacturers and they will do whatever it takes to consistently deliver it.”
Trends and developments in the healthcare industry
In the healthcare industry, innovations and new solutions are constantly being developed. CIC’s Healthcare and Consumer Division has to continuously be aligned with the latest global industry trends, whilst making its own mark in the industry.
Highlighting the most recent trends in healthcare, Weyhenage stated: “We work in an industry that thrives on innovation therefore we are always updating ourselves. The global medical devices industry has become incredibly active and is producing new innovations at a rapid rate. The work of the industry directly impacts surgeon’s productivity and enables them to provide their patients with innovative solutions. The high level of activity and developments in global healthcare also drives the activity of our work in Sri Lanka, as our local efforts always run alongside the latest global developments.”
Commenting on other aspects of the healthcare industry, he added: “On the other hand, the global pharmaceutical industry has experienced a slight lull in activity. Many leaders in the global pharmaceutical industry have become comfortable with standard formulations and are refraining from developing new ones, mainly because of the costs involved. The local pharmaceutical industry however, is poised for a sharp burst in activity. Mainly due to favorable Government policies and framework, local pharmaceutical businesses have been provided with optimal business conditions, they now receive concessionary rates and government support in the development of the industry. In this respect, we can anticipate that the local pharmaceutical industry will gain momentum and make a significant contribution to the Sri Lankan people and the economy.”
Pioneers of the past and future
CIC’s Healthcare and Consumer Division has built a legacy for itself as an industry pioneer. The division focuses on meeting the realistic needs of people, especially those who are at greater risk due to injuries or poor health.
Further highlighting the pioneering projects that CIC has initiated, Weyhenage said: “CIC’s Healthcare and Consumer Division has pioneered some of the most significant developments in the local healthcare industry. We introduced the first spinal fixation solution in Sri Lanka. Usually after an accident, if a patient damages their spine, their chances of getting better are slim. After a severe injury to the spine, the chances of walking again and obtaining normal levels of movement are very low. CIC introduced a unique solution that treats fractured spine, this in turn allows patients to walk again and live a more normal life.”
Shedding light on the division’s other pioneering feats, he said: “We were also the first in Sri Lanka to introduce facial reconstruction (the detailed reconstruction of a person’s face) and plastic surgery solutions such as silicone breast implants. One of the most cutting edge new developments we recently introduced was an innovative burn solution. After a severe burn, lives are often lost due to either a shock to the system or infections that penetrate through the burnt skin. Our burn solution is applied immediately after a patient has suffered a burn and acts as a temporary layer of skin that eases the burn and provides protection from infection until the patient’s skin regrows.”
Looking ahead to the future
CIC’s Healthcare and Consumer Division contributes a great deal to CIC Holding’s commitment to nurture life as a group. Protecting and nurturing life is at the heart of this division’s operations. The Healthcare and Consumer division impacts the lives of millions of Sri Lankans, providing both surgeons and their patients with life-saving solutions. Healthcare has been recognised as a core business area by CIC Holdings which is committed to growing the business through further investment and development.
Commenting on the division’s future plans, Weyhenage said: “At present CIC is focusing on revitalising the local pharmaceutical industry and introducing ground-breaking molecular formulations to the market through our new manufacturing unit. Our search for medical innovations is ongoing and we are presently launching a new kidney dialysis solution which enables patients to conduct dialysis treatments at home. We stay carefully tuned to the very latest developments in the healthcare industry as we continuously search for new solutions. Our aim is to be a pioneer in introducing innovative solutions to Sri Lanka. As an integral part of CIC Holdings and as one of the leading healthcare divisions in Sri Lanka, we remain committed to our long-standing goal of doing our part for our country and its people.”
