The National Medicines and Poisons Board has set up a committee to see how the country would reach self-sufficiency in drugs has been formed here, it was announced on Tuesday.

The minister for Health, Bahar Idris Abu Gardha, chairman of the Board said the committee comprises the board and the medical supplies department as well as the ministry for Finance and national economy, the economic security body to follow up the decision taken by the president that medicines should be manufactured inside the country and that no medicine which is produced locally should be imported from outside the country.
He said the president also directed that subsidies should continue to be provided for chronic diseases.

He said a meeting was held with the minister for National economy to reassure continuation of subsidies and free distribution of medicines for chronic diseases.

The Secretary General of the Board, Dr. Zain Abdeen Abass Al Fahal, said a plan was set up to reach self-sufficiency in drugs stressing that there are currently 970 drugs that are manufactured locally.

Source:SUNA