COLOMBO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will aim to manufacture 50 percent of its pharmaceutical needs within three years, local media citing a newly appointed state minister reported here Saturday.
State Minister of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply, and Regulation Prof. Channa Jayasumana, while assuming duties at the Ministry of Health in capital Colombo on Friday, said that the government would promote local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.
He pledged to patch up the legal loopholes in the purchasing of pharmaceuticals while cracking down on corruption and malpractice. The government would ensure the provision of high-quality pharmaceuticals at affordable prices to the general public, he said.
Jayasumana also vowed to tackle the excessive use of agro-chemicals in the agricultural sector which has been linked to a high prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology among rural and farming communities.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association (SLPMA) welcomed the creation of the State Ministry for Pharmaceutical Production as a positive step for developing the local industry. Enditem
