This file photo shows a customer in downtown Yangon buying some over-the-counter medicines. Pic: Hein Latt Aung

THOUGH demand for medicines is rising, Myanmar still relies heavily on foreign pharmaceuticals. Industry experts say imported drugs account for an estimated 80 percent of local consumption.

Dr Win Si Thu, president of Myanmar Pharmaceu-ticals and Medical Equipment Entrepreneurs’ Association, told the group’s annual meeting on November 21 that the import of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment had risen from US$100 million worth in the 2006-07 financial year to $113 million in 2007-2008, and represented Myanmar’s eighth-largest import item.

Myanmar mostly imports pharmaceutical, from India, Thailand, China and Bangladesh through normal trade or border trade, as well as from Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and some EU countries.

Most medical equipment comes from China and Singapore and even EU countries like Germany. About 6000 different kinds of branded pharmaceuticals are registered with the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) from 300 companies all over the world. Drugs from India occupy the largest market share in Myanmar, amounting to more than 40pc, say Ministry of Commerce statistics.

The private sector has been importing foreign pharmaceuticals since the government introduced a market-oriented economic policy in 1989.

Nevertheless, there is a flow of fake and sub-standard drugs that enter the country illegally, according to industry sources based in Yangon.

“Our industry plays an important role in providing and distributing drugs for the local market. So it is important to import quality products in the interest of our people, because this concerns peoples’ health,” Dr Win Si Thu said, calling on importers and distributors to eradicate the import of fake and sub-standard drugs.

At the initiative of his association, expired drugs which were distributed in Yangon’s wholesale and retail market have been destroyed on four separate occasions, and the association will continue to destroy expired drugs, Dr Win Si Thu said.

“Imports from Asia represent the biggest market share in Myanmar, while imports from the rest of the world, including Europe, are negligible,” Dr Maung Maung Lay, managing director of the Ni Lay Naing Company said.

But one drug company executive raised the possi-bility that Myanmar might manufacture more drugs locally, causing prices to fall.

“The Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights set up by World Trade Organization (WTO) allows developing countries, including Myanmar, to manufacture pharmaceuticals,” Dr Maung Maung Lay said.

“If the private sector had the chance to manufacture pharmaceuticals in this country, the price of medicines and medical equipment would become affordable for everyone,” he suggested.

There are now only three pharmaceuticals factories – Myanmar Phar-maceutical Industry (MPI) in Yangon, Tat Kone and Pyin Oo Lwin – operated by the Ministry of Industry (1).

Myanmar Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipments Entrepreneurs’ Association was set up in 2001 and represents 2863 members, including 23 foreign firms and 585 local companies.