Govt. focuses on more manufactured pharmaceutical products

COLOMBO (News 1st): A comprehensive program is in place to manufacture 40 percent of the country's pharmaceutical demand locally, the State Ministry of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation said. At present, only 15 percent of the country's annual drug requirement is locally produced; plans are in place to set up several pharmaceutical manufacturing zones with foreign investments, Rohitha Uduwawala, the Secretary to the State Ministry of Pharmaceutical Production told News 1st on Friday (Mar. 19). According to Secretary Uduwawala, in line with this initiative, a 400-acre Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Zone has been established in Hambantota through the Board of Investment, where 40 investors have the opportunity to invest. Moreover, a pharmaceutical manufacturing zone will also be established in the Oyamaduwa area in Anuradhapura. The State Pharmaceutical Corporation of Sri Lanka (SPC) has also expanded its pharmaceutical manufacturing program.