SPMC in full swing

Production, packaging up significantly:

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The production and packaging capacity of the State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC) has gone up significantly after the SPMC and the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) were brought under one management by Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, several trade unions in the health sector requested minister Sirisena to combine the two institutions and accordingly the minister brought the two institutions under one management. The cost of keeping two managements was cut down to one saving a significant amount of money. The employees work enthusiastically and production of the institution has gone up significantly, the spokesman said.

The SPMS produced 1,032.5 million tablets and capsules of different varieties of drugs in 2008. The production went up to 1,194.6 million tablets and capsules in 2009. It increased up to 1,504 million tablets and capsules by November 2010. The production output of the SPMC recorded as 184.84 by July this year. It was 163.3 by June and 119.5 by May. The packaging output of the SPMC also shows a significant increase. Packaging output of July this year recorded as 181.9. It was 139.2 by June and 113.8 by May, he said.

The SPMC produces 63 varieties of drugs. The drugs have won an International recognition for their high quality. Arrangements will be made to export drugs once it achieves targets. The second drug factory of the SPMC built at a cost of Rs. 500 million opened recently. The State Pharmaceuticals Corporation was established in 1971 under the State Industrial Corporations Act Number 49 of 1957, the spokesman said.