At a function held to celebrate 60 years of Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA), the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani appreciated the role Pharmaceutical Industry in contributing substantially to the economy of the country by providing quality medicines at affordable prices to people. He also stressed the need for fighting against Hepatitis as 18 percent population of the country especially in Sindh was suffering from this disease.
Khasif Sajjad, Chairman PPMA; Dr. Mahreen Bhutto, Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health; Raja Riaz, Senior Punjab Minister and senior officials of pharmaceuticals industries attended the 60-year celebration of PPMA.
Chairman PPMA Khasif Sajjad Sheikh presented the welcome address.
The PM underlined the need to improve pharmaceutical industry in international markets. Pharmaceutical industry is a flourishing sector and it sold pharmaceuticals worth 1.4 billion US dollars in 2007.
“It has also shown progressive trends as compared to multinational industries. The industry possesses a unique track record, of competing successfully against imports, without any tariff advantage” he said.
He directed the Ministry of Health to immediately start working and develop the Drug Pricing Policy. He also stressed the need for introducing adequate law to check the menace, of manufacturing of counterfeit products.
“I have directed, the Ministry of law, to reform the legal structure for the protection of the patent owners. The government was evolving a strategy and expanding many resources to improve the healthcare system but still about half of the population has no access to modern medicines” the Prime Minister said.
He urged upon the Pharma Industry to extend their research and development activities and focus on local raw materials for providing affordable drugs to the poor.