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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.