The Syrian pharmaceutical industry seeks to overcome the difficulties... 70 factories cover about 90 percent of the needs and facilities to attract investors

Damascus-SANA

The pharmaceutical industry in Syria is striving hard to overcome the challenges imposed by Western coercive measures and the effects of the terrorist war that targeted the industrial sector in general, as government agencies are working to provide support to this important industry and attract investors by taking a number of supportive measures in an attempt to the Syrian pharmaceutical industry to its former glory and development.

Madian Diab, Director General of the Syrian Investment Authority, explained that the Investment Authority is keen to secure all the needs of factories from raw materials produced for medicines locally by offering a set of investment opportunities in coordination with the ministries of health and industry, pointing out that there is an advanced step in this field by announcing the introduction of new investment opportunities in Pharmaceutical industries to extract and manufacture medicinal salt, in Homs governorate, with a production capacity of about 11,000 tons annually, and aims to secure the local needs of pharmaceutical factories, and reduce dependence on imports.

Diab indicated the importance of issuing the new Investment Law No. 18, which grants facilities, benefits, incentives, and tax exemptions, and aims to create a competitive investment environment to attract capital, benefit from expertise and different disciplines, expand the production base, increase job opportunities, and raise economic growth rates to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development, pointing out that the number of projects The health, medical, and pharmaceutical industry attracted from 2017 to 2020, amounted to 17 projects, and their costs exceeded 16 billion pounds, and they will employ about 2,000 workers upon completion. They were distributed in the governorates of Damascus countryside, Lattakia, Homs, Tartous, Sweida and Hama, of which 3 projects were implemented in Lattakia and Tartous.

For his part, the head of the Scientific Council for the Syrian Pharmaceutical Industries, Dr. Rashid Al-Faisal, confirmed in a similar statement that there are many difficulties facing the pharmaceutical industry, the most important of which is the unjust siege imposed on our country, which has led to a rise in the prices of raw materials, packaging materials, equipment and control devices in the countries of origin, and the rise in freight charges and energy carriers. To the rise in customs and port duties and all other fees.

Al-Faisal added that the local pharmaceutical laboratories provide about 90 percent of the local market’s need through 70 laboratories currently under production and working, distributed in the governorate of Damascus countryside, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Tartous and Lattakia. Cloths, solutions, drops, dry suspensions and liquid medicines that treat chronic diseases such as diabetes, pressure, heart, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, cortisone, anesthetics and others.

Al-Faisal pointed out that there are about 10 factories that have been suspended as a result of their damage during the crisis. We are working in cooperation with government agencies to help them return to work, most of them in Aleppo. There are also 20 licensed factories that are under preparation to start work and production, pointing out that there are many export difficulties related to approvals and prices imposed by those countries.

Before the crisis, the pharmaceutical industries in Syria covered more than 93 percent of the local market's need and exported their products to 54 Arab and foreign countries.

Nadim Maalla