Sri Lanka Ayurveda Drugs Corporation - four decades of progress

Continued from yesterday

Nalin Mervyn Fernando Managing Director/CEO, Sri Lanka Ayurveda Drugs Corporation

Another problem is the price structure of its products which is sometimes higher than the drugs available in the local market. One reason being the lower price of inferior quality drugs produced by private sector manufacturers which carry the identical brand name as those produced by the Corporation. The difference is caused due to the production of low quality drugs. Although the public should be educated on this it is happening at a very low pace.

During the last two years, new technology has been utilised by the Corporation for its progress. The steam boiler is replete with most modern sections and the drug filling (packing) machine has most modern techniques.

A program is under way to double production utilising modern equipment and obtaining raw material from imports specially from India and herbal villages maintained under the purview of the Indigenous Medicine Ministry.

It is also hoped to capture the foreign market for its products in the near future and already several drugs have been introduced to the international market. Komarika shampoo takes pride of place among newly introduced products. Production costs in August this year amounted to Rs. 24 million, while sales amounted to Rs. 28 million. This is the largest monthly income earned for the last 40 years. This has made the Ayurveda Drugs Corporation the largest producer in the ayurveda sector.

A program is now under way to appoint a new cadre of sales representatives and the Sanasa Wedagedara and Markfed have also been given sales agencies. Marketing in the North and East which are free of terrorism has been systematised and a new sales centre has been opened at the Jaffna super market complex recently. The Corporation possesses a well trained, talented and efficient cadre of employees and their interest in the ayurveda system has helped the Corporation's progress. The President has a great trust in ayurveda drugs and the Minister of Indigenous Medicine Tissa Karaliyadda has made a great contribution towards the progress of the Corporation with constant guidance and advice. The Ayurveda Drugs Corporation is committed to protect your health in future as during the last four decades. On this occasion I wish to commemorate with grateful thanks late Minister Philip Gunawardene who set up this Corporation and its founding Chairman Ayurveda Keerthi W. J. Fernando.