Govt. to expand State-owned pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity

Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana inspects the first locally manufactured drug under the ‘Aluth Ratata, Aluth Beheth’ program, Gabapentin 300mg - Pic by Kithsiri De Mel 

• Mulls construction of another pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in addition to SPC to double capacity 
• SPC launches ‘Aluth Ratata, Aluth Beheth’ program

Discussions among Government officials are underway to construct a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit, similar to or more advanced than the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC) in Ratmalana.

According to Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana, the new unit is expected to double the current manufacturing capacity in the country.

The remarks were made at an event held at the SPMC yesterday, where Gabapentin 300mg, the first locally manufactured drug under the ‘Aluth Ratata, Aluth Beheth’ program, was introduced to the market.

Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant medication that is used to treat seizures and neuropathic pain, and it was stated at the event that the Medical Supply Division imports 15 million Gabapentin 300mg pills a year. The imported pills cost between Rs. 6 and Rs. 27. However, the locally-manufactured medication will be provided to the Medical Supply Division at Rs. 4.50 per pill.

“Under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’ policy framework, we launched a program called ‘Aluth Ratata, Aluth Beheth’, where SPMC will once a month manufacture a commonly used medication in Sri Lanka and release it to the market,” he said.

Prof. Jayasumana explained that a new drug will be introduced once a month at the initial stages, but that this would be sped up so a locally-manufactured drug is introduced every other week.

“Today, medication worth Rs. 130 billion is imported to the country. Of that, 75% or over Rs. a80 billion is spent to purchase through the private sector,” he went on to say.

The program will rely on the support of healthcare professionals and Prof. Jayasumana stated the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) had extended their support to promote the use of locally manufactured drugs in the country.