By KWANELE DHLADHLA | 2023-02-08

The People’s Republic of Bangladesh has started toiling around the idea of establishing a medicine processing plant in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

When making a presentation before the Bangladesh delegation led by Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammed Shahriar Alam at the Royal Villas yesterday, Ministry of health’s Dr Thuli Magagula disclosed that it would be advantageous for the republic to establish a medicine production plant in the country because it would greatly reduce the price of procuring medicine.

He said it would be important to have a medicine production plant because the importation bill of drugs into the kingdom remains cumbersome, to say the least.

She said the kingdom would be pleased to be assisted by Bangladesh government in ensuring that the people of Eswatini receive adequate healthcare at all institutions across the kingdom.
“We want to tap into the Bangladesh medical production expertise to avert shortages drugs in the kingdom.

If we would have medical production plant locally, it would help bridge the gap which comes with logistics emanating from the drugs supply chain such as transport and others,” said Dr. Magagula.

She pointed out that the availability of a medicine processing plant in the kingdom would also allow the country to tap into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) market through exports.

Dr Magagula informed the Bangladesh team that the medical industry in the kingdom made financial sense to invest in because it was well regulated through the Medicine related substances act.

She mentioned that plans were well underway to establish a medicine regulatory authority.
Dr Magagula went on to state that plans were also well underway to collate regulations that would help ensure the supply of quality medicine acceptable through standards set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

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“We would be happy to also receive medical supply from Bangladesh, especially if accredited by WHO,” said Dr Magagula who disclosed that the Bangladesh business community could also tap into currently available business opportunities to supply drugs in the kingdom through open tender.

Bangladesh High Commissioner based in Pretoria Noor- E Helal Saifur Rahman expressed gratefulness that Eswatini was open to do business with Bangladesh.

He disclosed that there were readily available samples of medical products that could be supplied into the kingdom soon after receipt of a request from the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation.

He mentioned that they already supply drugs to South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Lesotho.

“We are very competitive in pricing, especially in the field of medicine,” Rahman said. Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi, said the kingdom was more than willing to share ideas and expertise with Bangladesh, especially because diseases transcend borders.

She pointed out that COVID-19 had taught the globe that it remains vital to share information, especially in the field of medicine.
“We have a lot to learn from Bangladesh and ready to engage in meaningful partnerships,” said Nkosi.

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Alam commended the country’s efforts towards improving healthcare, especially in dealing with HIV/AIDS.

He stated that Bangladesh was more than willing to work with the kingdom towards ensuring provision of quality healthcare services.

“We are grateful for the partnership which exists between Eswatini and Bangladesh. It is our wish that such partnerships grow stronger and yield the desired benefits going forward,” said Alam. The pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh continues to move forward with great potential as 98 per cent of the country’s total demand for medicine gets met by domestic institutions.

In addition to meeting the domestic demand, the companies also export medicines to several countries of the world.

Besides, Bangladesh ranks 71 out of 134 countries in the world in terms of global pharmaceutical exports.

At present, there are about 257 pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh which manufacture about 80 per cent of generic drugs. Domestic companies like Square, Beximco, Reneta and Opsonin dominate the pharmaceutical market in Bangladesh.

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