Pokhara, April 19

Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun has underscored the need for Nepal to be self-reliant in the production of life-saving drugs.

Inaugurating the 13th National Convention of Nepal Chemists and Druggists Association here today, VP Pun called upon all the drug producers in the country to work to increase the production of life-saving drugs. Domestic products cover only 55 per cent of the total drug market in the country.

Stating that the drug production was linked with the public health, VP Pun urged all the drug producers to ensure sales and distribution of quality drugs in a convenient manner.

“It is important for drug manufacturers to render their service in a responsible manner as they are ultimately dealing with the health of people as physicians do,” observed Pun. He also lamented the fact that many people still die in rural parts of the country due to lack of medicines.

The VP also stressed the need to make traditional ayuverdic, naturopathy and homoeopathy services more effective and argued that such medical systems had their own special identity and value. He pointed out the need to discourage the tendency of exporting local raw materials at low prices and importing the medicines out of the same materials at higher prices. “We need to utilise raw materials within the country by manufacturing medicines,” he stated.

On the occasion, VP Pun launched a souvenir published by the Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal. Speaking at the event, Gandaki State’s Minister of Social Development Naradevi Pun urged the drug manufacturers to work with positive attitude to make public healthy and the country prosperous.

APPON President Deepak Prasad Dahal said that APPON had launched organ donation programme as a social campaign.

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries’ Vice-president Umesh Lal Shrestha underlined the need to encourage private sector for the development of the country.

Nepal Chemist and Druggist Association’s President Mrigendra Mehar Shrestha said, “The drug manufacturing business should be well-organised and well-regulated.”

A total of 350 people, including 270 representatives and observers, are participating in the convention.