Sri Lanka's pharmaceutical manufacturers' association has launched a comprehensive roadmap aimed at transforming the country from a medicine importer into a self-sufficient regional exporter, with ambitious targets for local production and job creation.
The Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association (SLPMA) has introduced a strategic framework designed to reduce the nation's dependence on imported medicines and position the country as a high-tech pharmaceutical exporter. Newly elected SLPMA President Dinesh Athapaththu, who heads Morison Ltd, presented the initiative at the association's recent Annual General Meeting, framing pharmaceutical manufacturing as both an economic and moral imperative for national development.
The current pharmaceutical market in Sri Lanka is valued at approximately USD 600 million, with local manufacturers supplying only 5% of the private retail sector. However, policy interventions such as the Guaranteed Buyback Agreement have increased local supply to government procurement from 5% to nearly 30% and attracted over USD 200 million in private sector investments. The SLPMA aims to substantially expand this footprint by locally manufacturing 75% of the nation's pharmaceutical requirements within five to ten years.
According to Athapaththu, achieving this goal requires a five-pillar strategic approach encompassing supportive policies, progressive regulation, industry commitment, human capital development, and research investment. The association emphasizes that pharmaceutical manufacturing requires long development timelines, complex technology transfers, and international accreditations, making a stable regulatory environment essential for attracting and maintaining investor confidence.
The SLPMA, which has represented 25 local manufacturers since 1963, has pledged to work closely with government ministries and regulatory bodies. The association contends that such collaboration could strengthen medicine security, preserve foreign exchange reserves, create skilled employment opportunities, and stem brain drain by retaining talented scientists, engineers, and healthcare professionals within the country.
