Latest news with #drugsecurity
Zawya
04-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman: New strategy to boost pharma investments
Locally manufactured pharmaceuticals accounted for just 4.6% of total medicine purchases in 2023. The Omani government has unveiled a new strategic policy aimed at attracting investments into the country's pharmaceutical sector, with the dual objective of strengthening drug security and reducing reliance on imports. Despite some recent gains, the gap between local pharmaceutical production and import dependency remains significant. As of end-December 2023, locally manufactured pharmaceuticals accounted for just 4.6% of total medicine purchases, with imports making up the remaining 95.4%. However, national production capacity has shown encouraging growth — from a mere 1.8% in 2021 to 4.7% in 2022. According to Dr Hilal bin Ali al Sabti, Minister of Health (MoH), the new policy envisions the establishment of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities within economic zones, free zones, and industrial cities, in line with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Speaking to Duqm Economist, the newsletter of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ), Dr Al Sabti said these zones offer a highly conducive environment, supported by advanced technical infrastructure, efficient regulatory frameworks, and integrated support services aligned with international standards. 'Industrial cities and special economic and free zones are attractive investment environments due to the financial incentives and regulatory facilitations they offer, including customs and tax exemptions. These advantages help lower production costs and enhance competitiveness,' he noted. Currently, eight pharmaceutical factories are operational in Oman: five fully integrated drug production facilities, two plants producing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for human medicines, and one facility focused on secondary packaging as an initial step in the production chain. While these factories are spread across industrial cities and free zones, the majority are located within industrial cities, which offer more advanced infrastructure and integrated services — factors that contribute to improved manufacturing quality and faster market availability. 'Measures are in place to support pharmaceutical factories in obtaining international accreditations such as GMP and ISO. Oman has a clear vision to position itself as a regional hub for pharmaceutical exports, in line with Oman Vision 2040,' the Minister stated. Dr Al Sabti affirmed that the Ministry is actively encouraging foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector and promoting strategic partnerships with leading international pharmaceutical companies to facilitate technology transfer, localise production, and build domestic expertise. To this end, the Ministry is working to streamline registration and licensing procedures and is supporting public-private partnerships to foster an integrated and sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem. The aim, he said, is to drive innovation and ensure the availability of high-quality, efficient medical products. A key element of the new strategy is the fast-tracking of registration processes for locally manufactured medicines, supported by technical assistance throughout the regulatory cycle and accelerated quality testing to ensure safety and compliance. 'Recognising the strategic importance of this sector for national health security and self-sufficiency, the Ministry has established a robust regulatory framework in line with global standards. Through the Drug Safety Centre, we provide continuous technical support to manufacturers during planning, implementation, and licensing phases to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. Locally manufactured medicines are given priority in the registration and evaluation process,' Dr Al Sabti added. The Ministry also welcomed projections of strong growth in Oman's pharmaceutical sector, underpinned by a pipeline of strategic projects targeting local production of sterile medicines, oncology drugs, and vaccines — key therapeutic categories that are central to achieving national drug security. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Times of Oman
07-05-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Investment in pharmaceutical industry sector in Dhofar stands at OMR90 million
Salalah: Dhofar Governorate boasts remarkable development in the field of localizing pharmaceutical industries and medical supplies. The drive is aimed to secure the availability of medical drugs in the Sultanate of Oman and meet the needs of the local and regional markets. Investments to this effect stand at RO 90 million. Ibrahim Nasser Al Rashdi, Director General of the Drug Safety Centre at the Ministry of Health, told Oman News Agency (ONA) that pharmaceutical industry in Dhofar Governorate is burgeoning through three major pharmaceutical factories that help contribute to the needs of the health sector and diminish dependence on imports. Al Rashdi said that Dhofar pharmaceutical industries unit in Raysut Industrial City, inaugurated in September 2024, was set up at a total cost of more than RO 15 million. The unit, he explained, is one of the pharmaceutical projects specialized in producing intravenous solutions and dialysis solutions using advanced technologies in accordance with the highest international quality standards. He added that the unit in Raysut Industrial City, built on an area of 22,000 square metres, meets the needs of the local market for pharmaceutical solutions, which contributes to achieving drug security in the Sultanate of Oman, the Middle East and North Africa. The factory has an annual production volume of 15 million units of intravenous solution, along with 2.3 million units of kidney dialysis solutions, said Al Rashdi, noting that the factory meets the demand of the Omani health sector, thanks to its output estimated at 5 million units a year. Speaking about another unit, Oman Pharmaceutical Industries Company factory, Al Rashdi said that the company has been one of the most prominent pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Sultanate of Oman since its establishment in 2001. The factory has a cumulative investment volume of RO 35 million. Based in Raysut Industrial City in Salalah, the company aims to enhance the local pharmaceutical industry and provide high-quality pharmaceutical products to the Omani and global markets, Al Rashdi added. He added that Oman Pharmaceutical Industries Company's factory produces a wide range of medicines, including antibiotics, hormones, topical preparations, effervescent tablets and solid and liquid pharmaceutical forms. The unit's products are exported to more than 45 countries around the world, including the United States and Europe, which affirms its commitment to international quality standards, he explained. Al Rashidi pointed out that Raysut Industrial City includes a factory specialized in the production of medical supplies like gloves, medical masks and respirators. The unit has an investment value of approximately RO 5 million, said Al Rashdi, noting that the unit is capable of meeting the needs of the local and GCC health sectors. Al Rashdi said that Salalah Medical Supplies Manufacturing Company was established in 1997 and that the company's factory is also located in Raysut Industrial City on an area of 18,000 square metres. He added that the factory's products include supplying a wide range of medical gloves, masks, cotton, bandages and adhesive tapes. The unit provides and distributes its products within the Sultanate of Oman and exports them to other GCC states. Speaking about pharmaceutical industry in Salalah Free Zone, Al Rashdi said that investment in the Felix Pharmaceutical Industries factory is estimated at RO 35 million. The objective is to transform the Salalah Free Zone into a regional hub for pharmaceutical and biological industries, thus contributing to achieving drug security in the Sultanate of Oman and GCC states. Al Rashdi added that the factory seeks to produce more than 100 pharmaceutical products, including antivirals, as well as heart disease medications and vaccines in later stages. The production capacity of the first phase is expected to reach one billion tablets and one billion capsules a year, he explained. It's worth noting that the Sultanate of Oman seeks to enhance drug security by encouraging national and international investments in the medical industry. This aims to diminish dependence on drug imports and increase production to meet local needs in line with the goals of Oman Vision 2040.
