Fake medicine makers to face harsh action: Maleque

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque has said that the government will take stern action against manufacturing and marketing of sub-standard medicines for ensuring better health of the people.
He also warned that if any doctor or nurse is found not discharging their duties sincerely then the government will remove them.
"We will take action against producing and marketing of fake (substandard) medicines for the sake of people interests," he said as the chief guest while inaugurating the '11th Asia Pharma Expo' and 'Asia Lab Expo' at International Convention City Bashundhara in the capital on Thursday.
The minister urged the doctors to stay at their respective working places or stations (posting) for ensuring medical treatment to the poor people.
"We will soon form a monitoring cell at the ministry to watch the activities of the doctors and nurses … so that they could provide better healthcare services to the people," he said.
If any doctor or nurse is found not discharging their duties sincerely then the government will remove them, he warned.
President of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) Nazmul Hasan Papon delivered the address of welcome.
He said that apart from exporting medicines to different countries, the main objective of the BAPI is to provide medicines to the people with affordable prices.
He mentioned that different pharmaceutical companies in the country have been exporting medicines to 150 countries including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Italy, Canada, The Netherlands and Denmark etc.
Around 650 booths of 52 countries have been showcasing different types of medical equipment and machinery at the event.
Prime Minister's Adviser for Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman suggested to develop the backward linkage industries for the development of pharmaceuticals sector.
He called upon the foreign investors to invest in the pharmaceutical sector, especially in the special economic zones.
Director General of Directorate General of Drug Administration Major General Md Mustafizur Rahman said that government has taken different initiatives to increase the export of medicines.
Pharmaceutical is a thriving sector in Bangladesh, he said.
Local medicine companies have been producing 98 per cent of medicines needed for the local market, according to sector insiders.
The government is providing incentives to the sector for boosting export, the said.
Export earnings from pharmaceutical sector increased significantly during the first six months (July to December) of fiscal year 2018-19 (FY '19) following growing demand in the international market.
The government has set the export target worth US $ 112.19 million for the current fiscal year.
The export target for the first six months was $ 54.04 million.
Bangladesh earned $ 103.46 million from medicine export in the FY '18 which was $ 95 million in FY '17, according to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
The event will continue until tomorrow (Saturday).
Secretary General of BAPI SM Shafiquzzaman offered vote of thanks.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com