Prices of 33 essential medicines reduced by up to 50pc

The health authorities have cut the prices of 33 essential drugs, including nine types of tablets, capsules, saline, and injections, up to 50 per cent.

The move could save Tk 1.16 billion for the government in purchasing the drugs.

Samad Mridha, the managing director of state-owned pharmaceuticals company Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL), gave the information at a t a press conference at the EDCL office in the city on Wednesday.

“If the guidelines are followed, it will be possible to reduce the prices of most medicines within the next six months,” he said.

The EDCL managing director informed that the production at the state-owned company has increased by about Tk 590 million by reducing mismanagement, breaking syndicates, and laying off 700 unnecessary employees.

“In addition, the tender process for purchasing raw materials has made it possible to purchase raw materials at a lower cost, which has saved about Tk 180 million every month,” according to the EDCL MD.

The company also plans to further increase the production of government medicines by increasing production in their own factories, toll manufacturing will be stopped, and the government's demand will be increased from 70 per cent to 90 per cent.

He also said that EDCL has started the production of third-generation contraceptive pills and an IV fluid plant.

EDCL, the sole government pharmaceutical manufacturing company that supplies essential medicines to government hospitals, was facing an enormous crisis during the fallen Sheikh Hasina regime, which the interim administration claimed to have addressed in a plan to make it a profitable and people-friendly company.

The API (basic pharmaceutical ingredient) procurement policy was opaque. Now we purchase at fair prices through a transparent process, he added.

The EDCL MD said that they have started producing the third-generation birth control pill. Once the administrative formalities are completed, it will be supplied to the government.

Stating that the IV fluid plant has been commissioned, he said that a trial run has been conducted. It will be possible to meet the government's needs by producing normal saline and cholera saline within 10 to 15 days.

The MD said that efforts are being made to arrange the product line according to the guidelines of the World Health Organisation and government needs. This will make it possible to quickly produce truly essential medicines and gradually meet the entire needs of the government.

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