The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) recently held a virtual meeting with the top management of a number of local pharmaceutical companies to discuss the development of an all-around strategy to boost the drug production share in the UAE.

The meeting was chaired by Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s Public Health Policy and Licenses, with around 17 heads and CEOs of local pharmaceutical factories in attendance.

During the meeting, the participants shed light on the significance of fulfilling the requirements of public and private hospitals and health centres in terms of pharmaceutical products, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic crisis. They also encouraged pharmaceutical companies to engage in local or international partnerships which will significantly assist then in manufacturing safe vaccines.

The meeting is in line with MoHAP’s keenness to strengthen interaction with pharmaceutical companies and better understand their point of view. Furthermore, MoHAP aims to integrate effective partnerships in the pharmaceutical industry in a bid to develop a joint prioritised agenda.

The meeting also touched upon the need to intensify focus on manufacturing specialised drugs such that there is increased availability of pharmaceutical products across the country, along with using AI and biotechnologies in drug manufacturing which will help in minimising production costs and enhancing the efficiency and quality of pharmaceutical products.

Dr. Al Amiri asserted that such events help in supporting the broader plans and programmes of the MoHAP to enhance drug sustainability in the country. He further added that the participants also discussed the need for creating determined and progressive plans for taking the local pharmaceutical industry to the next level with joint cooperation and in accordance with the directives and visions of the UAE leadership.

During the meeting, MoHAP officials and members of the local pharmaceutical industry also highlighted the importance of scientific research in the industry, supporting local factories with necessary raw material, expanding export markets to access new countries and the transformation of innovative biomedicine technologies to the laboratories of local pharmaceutical companies.

Al Amiri stressed the MoHAP's commitment to reinforcing capabilities of local drug factories with all logistic and technology capacities, along with the sophisticated regulations and legislations that help in stimulating investments and essential technical assistance to promote drug manufacturing locally.

The participants further hailed the efforts of MoHAP for developing the pharmaceutical sector and achieving an effective partnership in the industry. They further highlighted that MoHAP's efforts provide the necessary boost to pharmaceutical security and strengthen the confidence of people in the local pharmaceutical industry.

WAM