Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd Wednesday formally inaugurated the
country's' first ever vaccine plant -- Incepta Vaccine Ltd at Savar in
Dhaka making a major breakthrough in the history of the country's
pharmaceuticals sector.
Health minister AFM Ruhal Haque inaugurated the 75,000 sqft plant with an investment of Tk 2.0 billion at Zirabo in Savar which started production since June, 2011. The annual production capacity of the plant is 108 million vials and 72 million ampoules.
Incepta Vaccine is now manufacturing and marketing Typhoid, Rabbies and Tetanus vaccines. The company plans to manufacture vaccines for Hepatitis-B, Polio, Measles, Rubella, and Tetanus antitoxin, Pentavalent and other necessary vaccines in near future.
"Bangladesh has to spend a huge foreign currency as it totally depends on import for the vaccines. The country now can save foreign currency as well as provide lower cost and high potency vaccines to its people," said Abdul Muktadir, managing director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals.
He said there is high possibility of counterfeit product and doubt over potency of imported vaccines as it is very difficult to maintain cold chain for the products. But locally produced vaccines will now get longer shelf life with fast delivery guarantee, he added.
Health secretary Humayun Kabir, National Professor M R Khan, Director General of Drug Administration Major General Md Abul Kalam Azad and Director of Primary Health Care and Line Director of MNC and AH Dr Syed Abu Jafar Md Musa were also present during the inaugural function as special guests. Hasneen Muktadir, Director, Planning and Commercial, Mahbubul Karim, Director, Technical Operations and senior executives of Incepta were also present at the programme.
In his presentation on the plant, Mr Muktadir said Bangladesh is free from polio though it is not declared by World Health Organisation (WHO). Every year the country needs 90 million doses of vaccines for the governments' expanded programme of immunization (EPI) and another 30 million doses are purchased through private sector.
"Worldwide there is no type 2 wild polio virus and only 1 and 3 polio viruses are there. But Bangladesh imports type 2 polio vaccines which is unnecessary," he said.
The health minister said the government will look into the matter of unnecessarily using type 2 polio vaccine. "Also there is hardly any reason for importing vaccines if those are available locally," he added.
He said there are many big pharmaceutical companies which did not dare manufacture vaccines while Incepta took the risk. He urged the manufacturers to produce high quality and affordable vaccines for the poor.
The minister said pharmaceuticals export will soon reach the level of garments export as it has more value addition than RMG sector.
Pediatrician M R Khan said he himself first introduced vaccination for the Bangladeshi children in January, 1965 which faced hard time to be popularised as it had side effects at that time.
"The initiative of Incepta will be much helpful for the country's children. The pharmaceuticals industry has made a history in the industrialisation process," he said.
He said the government spends Tk 3.8 billion and the private sector spends Tk 3.5 billion every year for importing vaccines many of which will now be available in the country.
"Many countries could not even produce medicines while Bangladesh is producing hi-tech product like vaccines in a short course of time which is amazing," he said. He suggested setting up of national vaccine testing laboratory and modernisation of the existing public health laboratory.
Humayun Kabir said the government will consider how to reduce dependence on imported vaccines by procuring locally manufactured ones. He asked the vaccine manufacturing companies to provide the government with cold chain facilities which will be an added advantage.
Health minister AFM Ruhal Haque inaugurated the 75,000 sqft plant with an investment of Tk 2.0 billion at Zirabo in Savar which started production since June, 2011. The annual production capacity of the plant is 108 million vials and 72 million ampoules.
Incepta Vaccine is now manufacturing and marketing Typhoid, Rabbies and Tetanus vaccines. The company plans to manufacture vaccines for Hepatitis-B, Polio, Measles, Rubella, and Tetanus antitoxin, Pentavalent and other necessary vaccines in near future.
"Bangladesh has to spend a huge foreign currency as it totally depends on import for the vaccines. The country now can save foreign currency as well as provide lower cost and high potency vaccines to its people," said Abdul Muktadir, managing director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals.
He said there is high possibility of counterfeit product and doubt over potency of imported vaccines as it is very difficult to maintain cold chain for the products. But locally produced vaccines will now get longer shelf life with fast delivery guarantee, he added.
Health secretary Humayun Kabir, National Professor M R Khan, Director General of Drug Administration Major General Md Abul Kalam Azad and Director of Primary Health Care and Line Director of MNC and AH Dr Syed Abu Jafar Md Musa were also present during the inaugural function as special guests. Hasneen Muktadir, Director, Planning and Commercial, Mahbubul Karim, Director, Technical Operations and senior executives of Incepta were also present at the programme.
In his presentation on the plant, Mr Muktadir said Bangladesh is free from polio though it is not declared by World Health Organisation (WHO). Every year the country needs 90 million doses of vaccines for the governments' expanded programme of immunization (EPI) and another 30 million doses are purchased through private sector.
"Worldwide there is no type 2 wild polio virus and only 1 and 3 polio viruses are there. But Bangladesh imports type 2 polio vaccines which is unnecessary," he said.
The health minister said the government will look into the matter of unnecessarily using type 2 polio vaccine. "Also there is hardly any reason for importing vaccines if those are available locally," he added.
He said there are many big pharmaceutical companies which did not dare manufacture vaccines while Incepta took the risk. He urged the manufacturers to produce high quality and affordable vaccines for the poor.
The minister said pharmaceuticals export will soon reach the level of garments export as it has more value addition than RMG sector.
Pediatrician M R Khan said he himself first introduced vaccination for the Bangladeshi children in January, 1965 which faced hard time to be popularised as it had side effects at that time.
"The initiative of Incepta will be much helpful for the country's children. The pharmaceuticals industry has made a history in the industrialisation process," he said.
He said the government spends Tk 3.8 billion and the private sector spends Tk 3.5 billion every year for importing vaccines many of which will now be available in the country.
"Many countries could not even produce medicines while Bangladesh is producing hi-tech product like vaccines in a short course of time which is amazing," he said. He suggested setting up of national vaccine testing laboratory and modernisation of the existing public health laboratory.
Humayun Kabir said the government will consider how to reduce dependence on imported vaccines by procuring locally manufactured ones. He asked the vaccine manufacturing companies to provide the government with cold chain facilities which will be an added advantage.
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