Khaberni - Fadi Al-Atrush, the representative of the therapeutic industries and medical supplies sector at the Jordan Chamber of Industry, confirmed that the Jordanian pharmaceutical industry forms a fundamental pillar in achieving and supporting national pharmaceutical security, and enhancing the Kingdom's strategic stockpile of human medicines.
Al-Atrush stated that the sector continues to support national efforts at this stage, working in coordination with official entities to ensure that medicine is available to citizens in adequate quantities and at stable prices, which enhances the immune system of the health system and its ability to face various conditions.
He added that the Jordanian pharmaceutical industry is strategic, as it contributes to achieving national pharmaceutical security under all conditions, and has proven its strength and safety during the Coronavirus pandemic. During this time, the sector managed to operate at full capacity to enhance the Kingdom's stock of human medicines and sterilization supplies, despite the challenges that global supply chains faced.
He affirmed that the sector operates with a flexible and expandable production capacity, which gives it the ability to respond quickly to any increase in demand, noting that local companies adhere to the highest global standards of quality and control, which enhances the confidence of local and international markets in Jordanian medicine.
Al-Atrush referred to a recent meeting attended by the Minister of Health Ibrahim Al-Badour, along with local manufacturers and importers of medicines and medical supplies. Discussions during the meeting explored the current drug stock situation and the challenges associated with supply chains, confirming that coordination continues among various entities to ensure the sustainability of medicine availability.
He explained that the Food and Drug Administration plays a pivotal regulatory role in monitoring the strategic stockpile of medicines and supporting the sector, aiming to enhance national readiness and ensure that there is no shortage of pharmaceutical varieties.
Global Cost Increases
He emphasized that pharmaceutical companies are committed to stabilizing the prices of human medicines in the local market, despite global increases in raw material costs and shipping fees and wages, explaining that the companies will handle these increases with high professionalism to maintain market stability and protect citizens.
He confirmed that this approach aligns with the government's method in dealing with the current economic conditions, where the government bears part of the energy cost differences, indicating that the pharmaceutical industry sector will also bear the increases in production inputs as part of the partnership with the public sector.
He praised the cabinet's decision to pay the financial arrears due to companies in the sector, confirming that this step has contributed to enhancing liquidity for the companies and enabled them to continue their production operations efficiently amidst current challenges.
He said that the Jordanian pharmaceutical industry, which is the oldest in the Arab region, has high production capabilities that qualify it to meet the local market's needs efficiently, in addition to its ability to export and compete in foreign markets.
He pointed out that the sector has a production capacity of up to 1.5 billion dinars annually and relies on a successful business model that focuses on generic drugs with international trademarks, alongside compliance with high international standards.
He explained that Jordan produces a wide range of medicines covering various medical specialties, including chronic diseases, tumors, infectious, neurological, psychological, allergic, and gastrointestinal diseases, in addition to multiple pharmaceutical forms including tablets, capsules, liquids, drops, sprays, solutions, intravenous injections, and creams.
He added that the pharmaceutical industries today represent one of the most promising sectors in Jordan, possessing advanced expertise and high quality, as the Kingdom now produces more than 5,000 pharmaceutical varieties, whereas it used to produce only a few varieties in previous years.
Al-Atrush continued, stating that factories producing human medicines in the Kingdom consistently work on expanding production lines, injecting quality investments, and keeping up with the latest technological developments in pharmaceutical manufacturing and innovating new products, which has enhanced their position, quality, and competitiveness in export markets.
He noted that the human medicine industry sector encompasses 30 facilities spread across various regions of the Kingdom, with registered capital amounting to about 350 million dinars, providing 10,000 direct job opportunities, of which females comprise 35%, while exports reach 85 markets around the world.
It is worth noting that the Kingdom’s exports of pharmaceutical products, according to foreign trade statistics issued by the General Statistics Department, grew by 5.1% last year, reaching 642 million dinars, compared to 611 million dinars in the year 2024.
