Empowering Health Equity SLCPI pledges to support quality and affordable choice of medicine

The Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industries held its 63rd Annual General Meeting recently and those who spoke at the occasion from left are: Santosh Jha, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, M. Prathaban, President Elect, and Murtaza Jafferjee, Chairperson of Advocata Institute at the event 

The Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industries (SLCPI) held its 63rd Annual General Meeting recently, with the participation of its membership including leading pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers of the country. 

The SLCPI is charting its course towards consistent availability of quality medicine to the Sri Lankan public and sustaining an effective pharmaceutical industry.

According to a press release issued by SLCPI, the AGM saw the convening of over 230 members of this organization. Santosh Jha, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, graced the event as Chief Guest with Murtaza Jafferjee, Chairperson of Advocata Institute attending as the Guest of Honour. 

Speaking to the collective members, President Elect, M. Prathaban outlined the challenges that the pharmaceutical industry experiences during the present economic recovery period, highlighting the numerous actions taken by SLCPI as a collective body to engage and advocate for the progress of the pharmaceutical industry in Sri Lanka. 

“SLCPI has successfully sustained the pharmaceutical industry of the country during challenging times in the recent past, and we are committed to take forward our efforts for the betterment of the industry. Quality, affordability and availability have been the cornerstones of the Chamber’s mission, where we continue to engage with all stakeholders to ensure that the people of Sri Lanka have a choice in accessing essential medicines. Sri Lankans should not be deprived of innovative and a high-quality choice of medicine,” he emphasised. 

“Our innovations and advancements have the power to save lives, alleviate suffering and enhance the quality of life for millions of people. As a Chamber, it is our responsibility to put all our efforts, based on the guidelines of fairness, transparency and sustainability, to advance our offering to the country,” he added.

SLCPI has actively engaged in advocating for a fair and transparent pricing mechanism with the end objective of making quality medicine available to the public. The repeated dialogues with the regulatory to make quality testing available for import medicines will continue under the new committee, to ensure high standard medicines are brought into the market, while maintaining availability and affordability. Over the past years, the SLCPI has worked closely with various stakeholders and policy-making institutions in communicating the industry’s ground situation to facilitate sustainable policy and decision making. 

The new board for 2024/25 was appointed unanimously with M. Prathaban – Deputy Chairman/Group CEO, Emerchemie NB (Ceylon) Ltd. taking the helm as President for the second consecutive year. He will be ably supported by Immediate Past President – Sanjiva Wijesekera (Executive Director, George Steuart Health (Pvt) Ltd.), Senior Vice President – Shantha Bandara (Executive Director/CEO, Sunshine Health Lanka Ltd.), Vice President – Jude Fernando (Managing Director, Hemas Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd.), Hon. Secretary – Sirimal Fernando (Director/CEO, Astron Limited) and Hon. Treasurer – Rasika Hirimuthugoda (CEO, Darley Butler & Co Ltd.).

Council Members elected at the AGM include Indoscan (Pvt) Ltd, Emar Pharma (Pvt) Ltd, A. Baur & Co. (Pvt) Ltd and Muller & Phipps Healthcare Ltd.07

Astron Ltd. and Emergen Lifescience (Pvt) Ltd were appointed as Manufacturers, while PharmaCo (Pvt) Ltd was appointed Authorised Distributor (Non-Importer). Kalbe International Pte. Ltd will officiate as the Non-Trading/Liaison Office/Branch Office and Healthguard Pharmacy Ltd will operate as Retailer.