Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella says Sri Lanka is focused on increasing medicine production to 50% over the next several years.
The Minister expressed his views during a meeting with the German Ambassador to Sri Lanka Holger Seubert today (25).
The Minister said the country currently manufactures 15-20% of the medicine requirement adding that the volume is expected to be increased in order to meet the country’s demand.
Minister Rambukwella said the support needed to produce medicines in the country will be extended to all investors, producers, industrialists and other stakeholders while agreements for such projects have been signed and purchase agreements have also been signed.
He said many concessions will be granted including tax concessions for the importation of equipment while 12 investors have vowed to invest in factories for new manufacturing projects.
The Minister noted that the country’s saline requirement is largely met locally while many equipment will be produced in future.
The Health Minister also claimed that the government hopes to sign MoUs with countries that supply drugs to Sri Lanka including Germany, a leading country supplying medicine.
The Minister said five to six European countries are expected to participate in the drug supply programmes while countries such as India, Japan and Indonesia have already agreed to supply medicines.
Minister Rambukwella said many long, short and medium-term solutions have been reached.
The German Ambassador meanwhile said Sri Lanka and Germany share a 70-year friendship with the 70th anniversary commemorated this year.
