Business Health

SLADC to open Ayurvedic Centres in Australia

Hiran H. Senewiratne

Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation (SLADC) will double its production within the next five years to meet the escalating ayurvedic drug demand in Sri Lanka as well as overseas, its Managing Director Nalin Mervin Fernando said.

Speaking to the Daily News Business he said that currently SLADC manufactures various types of herbal wines and other types of medicines to local and overseas markets. Therefore, the Corporation has invested Rs. 18 million for a bottling plant recently.

“We have also invested Rs. 128 million during the last four years for the development of the sales division and the factory refurbishing project. Therefore, the progress of the corporation is vital to achieve higher production and sales targets of SLADC, which has a history of 40 years,” he said.

Fernando said the company is not a 100 per cent profit oriented organisation and it is one of the leading suppliers of medicines to the local ayurvedic hospitals and pharmacies in the country. To increase raw material output they are now setting up “Osu Gammana” (Herbal Gardens) projects islandwide. This project was launched in 2000.

The sole aim of the “Osu Gammana” project and other activities are to develop local ayurvedic medicinal production. The corporation is planning to cut down certain raw material imports from India, which accounts for 30 per cent of the raw material imports, he said.

He said that due to urbanisation many endemic herbal plants are subject to extinction and that prompted launching the Osu Gammana project. An additional bonus will be stopping importation of certain herbals that could be grown in Sri Lanka. According to Fernando, Ayurveda centres will also be set up in Australia, Sweden and Cuba shortly, with the assistance from the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine and the Ministry of the Cultural Affairs.

The services of the fully automated multi purpose bottling plant at SLADC premises at Navinna and Ayurveda doctors, staff and medicine will be provided to the centres, that will be managed by Sri Lankans in Australia. The Corporation has won all the quality standard awards, he said.

Picture by Sumanachandra Ariyawansa

YASMIN contraceptive pill launched in Sri Lanka

Bayer Schering Pharma launched, contraceptive pill - YASMIN - at the 41st Annual Scientific Session, organised by the Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SLCOG), held recently in Colombo.

YASMIN is distributed by Hemas Pharmaceuticals Ltd and available at all leading pharmacies. Women should consult their doctors for advice. Speaking about the launch of YASMIN at the SLCOG, Vice President of the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Singapore, Dr. Beh Suan Tiong said, “YASMIN is the result of extensive efforts to improve the therapeutic scope of oral contraceptives.

Bayer Schering Pharma invested in countless large scale clinical trials to establish the effectiveness and safety offered by YASMIN. The company has revolutionised the medical benefits of oral contraceptives by introducing the unique progestin hormone called Drospirenone to the contraceptive market.

Drospirenone counterbalances possible estrogen-induced fluid and thereby reduces weight gain, abdominal bloating, and heavy menstruation. In an international market of 40 different oral contraceptive brands, YASMIN is currently at number one and I am extremely pleased to support its launch in Sri Lanka.”

On distributing YASMIN in Sri Lanka, MD, Hemas Pharmaceuticals (Pvt.) Ltd. Sanjeewa Samaranayake said, “Bayer Schering is among the top specialty pharmaceutical companies in the world and has a reputation for manufacturing products with proven clinical benefits and maintaining very high quality standards.

Hemas has been the agent for Bayer Schering for more than 2 decades bringing quality products to the local consumer and we are happy to serve our consumers further by bringing in the world’s number one contraceptive brand to Sri Lanka.

Although oral contraceptives are one of the most effective methods of birth control, most Sri Lankans are constantly switching brands because of their worries about side effects.

With YASMIN in the market however, the public can now fully avail the medical benefits of oral contraceptives without worrying about side effects,”

BoI signs US $ 124 m agreement with Silvermere Hospitals

Silvermere Hospitals signed an agreement with the BoI to establish a state-of-the-art medical centre. Chairman of Silvermere Hospitals Limited Tariq Rauf, signed the agreement on behalf of the Hospital, Chairman / Director General signed the Agreement for the BoI Dhammika Perera. Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Sarath Amunugama formally handed over the BoI Certificate of Registrations to the investor.

The Embassy Medical Centre (EMC), a flagship project of the BoI is an investment of US $ 124 million.

The proposed Embassy Medical Centre (EMC) will be the pioneer of Sri Lanka’s next generation of healthcare. The hospital will provide customized, professional and state-of-the-art healthcare services of the highest quality within the shores of Sri Lanka.

Silvermere International, a US based company held in high respect for its ability to introduce cutting edge materials and technologies to South Asian markets, having identified the demand to provide safe and high quality healthcare has embarked on an effort to pioneer the introduction of a unique hospital development project in Sri Lanka.

Charles Knight, from Perkins +Will, a leading architectural company designed the hospital project. Perkins + Will which is internationally known for its innovative approach, has designed many hospital projects in the USA, the UAE and other countries worldwide.

The establishment will be located in the northern suburbs of Colombo and is expected to be launched as a 128 bed hospital in 2010. Embassy Medical Centre (EMC) will later be expanded into a comprehensive 180 room facility.

All rooms will be designed to include modern medical, computer and administrative systems to support the best physicians. The EMC will offer children and families the very best in diagnostic and medical-surgical care.

The services the hospital offers include Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, NICU, Critical Care for adults, a Cardiac Monitored Unit and Adult in patient.

The EMC will take a proactive approach to support the medical needs of its patients, each person and family served will be invited to enrol in the “Embassy Health Services Plan”, one which offers benefits on par with those of a membership health club.

Embassy Health Services Plan in turn will facilitate the provision of discounted health related products and service experiences.

“Membership Service Model”, is a system that will enhance the performance of physicians helping them with the registering of patients, reducing the risk of medical errors, promoting healthy lifestyles, proactive health protection and disease prevention initiatives.

Unilever’s Signal Sina Bo Wewa in Hambantota

Over 8500 people participate in Oral Health Care Camp:

Signal from Unilever Sri Lanka teamed up with the Sri Lanka Dental Association, to successfully lead an effective outreach program on oral hygiene, through the recently concluded Signal Sina Bo Wewa camp in Hambantota.

This year’s first installment of the groundbreaking campaign was attended by over 8,500 people in just its first camp, which held interactive school programmes and dental clinics to promote good oral hygiene, with particular attention to the importance of night time brushing habits, the necessity for changing toothbrushes every three months, as well as a special segment on the care of cleft palate disorders.

Brand Manager for Signal, Unilever Sri Lanka, Shantha Fernando said, ‘Signal was delighted with the response received in the first camp, which was attended by over 8,500 people.

Such a large turn out shows that there is a growing interest in oral health care, which is especially important now, when there is an unprecedented increase in the number of dental problems among children in Sri Lanka.

This time’s campaign has a special focus on inculcating good night time brushing habits among children.

We know that the Signal Sina Bo Wewa campaign has become an annually awaited program by many people and we wish to take this opportunity to invite all parents and children in and around North Western Province to our second camp to be held on Sunday the July 20 at D.B. Welagedara Madhya Maha Vidyalaya, Malkaduawa, Kurunagala, where all can experience and enjoy the fun filled games and free dental services provided.

The Signal Sina Bo Wewa season began with the Signal teams visiting every household in the area to invite families, who didn’t have either the time or the finances to access proper dental services, to participate in the programme and become better equipped to maintain good dental hygiene.