Vietnam aims to raise the ratio of locally-made medicines to 80 percent by 2020 (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA)– The Health Ministry discussed a strategy to develop the pharmaceuticalindustry at a seminar it jointly held with the Party Central Committee's Commissionfor EconomicAffairs and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam in Hanoi onJune 27.
Deputy Head of the Party CentralCommittee's Commissionfor EconomicAffairs Ngo Dong Hai stressed that Vietnam is said to be a potential market forthe pharmaceutical industry.
The Party and State’s policies on health care that targets full health insurance coverage for the wholepeople will drive up demand for medicines, he said.
Vietnam boasts great potential for developing the sector as it has a rich poolof medicinal plants and traditional medicine, he said, adding that if cooperationin research is promoted along with proper investment for the sector, Vietnam isable to produce medicines that meet international standards and export-relatedstandards.
Participants shared the view that the pharmaceutical sector is facingdifficulties and challenges due to inadequate State budget and great dependenceon imported pharmaceuticals.
According to Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Vietnam aims to raise the ratio of locally-mademedicines to 80 percent by 2020, with 40 percent of which being proven bioequivalent. However, the target is hard to achieve in the context ofextensive globalisation and international integration, and fierce competition.
The rate of use of domestically produced medicines in central-level hospitalsremains low, she said, attributing the situation to insufficient attention to distributionwork in the sector.
Additionally, medicinal plants grown on an area of only 15,000 hectares meetnearly 30 percent of the domestic production needs.
Participants said it is necessaryto address difficulties facing the sector, focusing on improving the businessclimate, promoting technology application in production, bettering the qualityof human resources, and increasing investment for the sector.
They also recommended a number of policies to attract more investment for theindustry, towards developing the country into a pharmaceutical productioncentre of the region by 2035.-VNA
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Vietnam aims to raise the ratio of locally-made medicines to 80 percent by 2020 (Source: VNA) 
