• Expects to  produce 40% drugs required annually in Sri Lanka

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

The root cause for the current political and socio-economic  mess in the country is the policy failure by each and every government  and leaders who ruled the country since independence Health Minister,  Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella said. 

 If the national leaders and policymakers in Sri Lanka gave  priority for a manufacturing economy in place of a service-oriented  economy after Sri Lanka attained independence, the current predicament  would not have befallen the country and the people, he added.   

He was speaking at a ceremony held to hand over investment  agreements to 12 local investors to construct 12 factories to produce  essential and lifesaving pharmaceutical products in the ‘Suvasiripura’  dedicated medicinal drugs production zone at Oyamaduwa, Anuradhapura.  

“Sri Lanka is famed of having a free health system for  several decades. We are proud of it. But we import 85% of drugs annually  for the health sector which is a big burden to the economy. In 2021  alone, we have spent US$ 815 million (Rs. 300 billion approximately) to  import essential drugs. Therefore, the entrepreneurs who came forward to  invest in pharmaceutical products are doing a national service and  should be appreciated,” Minister Dr. Rambukwella stressed.  

The drug manufacturing companies to be set up in  ‘Suvasiripura’ at Oyamaduwa at a cost of Rs. 80 billion will provide  direct employment opportunities to 2,000 youth and indirect jobs to  about 5,000.   The dedicated medicinal drugs production zone expects to  produce 40% of drugs required annually in Sri Lanka and increase it to  60% over the next couple of years. This will save Sri Lanka US$ one  billion or about Rs. 365 billion annually, he noted.   Minister Dr. Rambukwella pointed out that all 12 factories  to be constructed at Oyamaduwa by mid-2024 would strictly adhere to  environmental standards and drug producing specifications of the World  Health Organisation. The drugs produced will of highest quality. The ‘Suvasiripura’ also expects to export drugs to the global market step by  step but priority would be given to manufacture the local drug requirements. 

 
Opportunities are there for 11 more investors at the dedicated drugs manufacturing zone at Oyamaduwa.   The local companies about to start medicinal drug  production at Suvasiripura, Oyamaduwa are: Maliban Bioventures (Pvt.)  Ltd, George Steuart Health (Pvt.) Ltd, Luxus Medicine (Pvt.) Ltd, Premium  International Biologics (Pvt) Ltd, Manchester Medicals Pvt.) Ltd,  Epione Health Services (Pvt.) Ltd, NU Life Biotech (Pvt.) Ltd, Neolina  Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd, Nivarana (Pvt.) Ltd, Blue Ceylon Investment  Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd, Meditech Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, and Clean Ozo Bio – Bin’s  (Pvt) Ltd.