By Sheain Fernandopulle

In a bid to address the substantial financial outlay of over $500 million spent annually on importing medicines, Minister of Health Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said plans are underway to scale up the domestic production.  

He said this during a special discussion convened at the Ministry of Health with key officials from the Medical Supply Division, the State Pharmaceutical Corporation, and the National Drug Regulatory Authority.  

The discussion, chaired by Dr. Pathirana, delved into critical issues surrounding the regulation, supply, and distribution of medicines. Emphasis was placed on the need to streamline tender procedures, ensure the continuous provision of high-quality drugs to hospitals, and optimize the drug import system.  

Dr. Pathirana highlighted the necessity of bolstering the domestic production of medicines as the most viable solution to mitigate the hefty import expenditure. 

 
Furthermore, the minister stressed the importance of conducting an annual preliminary study to forecast medicine requirements for the forthcoming year, underlining proactive measures to enhance the nation’s pharmaceutical self-sufficiency.