Vietnam aims to raise the ratio of locally-made medicines to 80 percent by 2020 (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA)
– The Health Ministry discussed a to develop the pharmaceutical
industry at a it jointly held with the Party Central Committee’s Commission
for Economic
Affairs and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam in Hanoi on
June 27.
Deputy Head of the Party Central
Committee’s Commission
for Economic
Affairs Ngo Dong Hai stressed that Vietnam is said to be a potential market for
the .
The Party and State’s policies on health care that targets full health insurance coverage for the whole
people will drive up demand for medicines, he said.
Vietnam boasts great potential for developing the sector as it has a rich pool
of medicinal plants and traditional medicine, he said, adding that if cooperation
in research is promoted along with proper investment for the sector, is
able to produce medicines that meet international standards and export-related
standards.
Participants shared the view that the pharmaceutical sector is facing
difficulties and challenges due to inadequate State budget and great dependence
on imported pharmaceuticals.
According to Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Vietnam aims to raise the ratio of locally-made
medicines to 80 percent by 2020, with 40 percent of which being proven bioequivalent. However, the target is hard to achieve in the context of
extensive globalisation and international integration, and fierce competition.
The rate of use of domestically produced medicines in central-level hospitals
remains low, she said, attributing the situation to insufficient attention to distribution
work in the sector.
Additionally, medicinal plants grown on an area of only 15,000 hectares meet
nearly 30 percent of the domestic production needs.
Participants said it is necessary
to address difficulties facing the sector, focusing on improving the business
climate, promoting technology application in production, bettering the quality
of human resources, and increasing investment for the sector.
They also recommended a number of policies to attract more investment for the
industry, towards developing the country into a pharmaceutical production
centre of the region by 2035.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
