Jordan’s pharmaceutical industries entered world markets-Atrash

Amman: Products of the Jordanian pharmaceutical industries and medical supplies sector moved over the past quarter century to the global level, driven by its development, quality and competitiveness, which placed the Kingdom among the top countries in this strategic industry, according to a stakeholder. Representative of Pharmaceutical Industries and Medical Supply Sector in Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI), Fadi Atrash, said Jordan's pharmaceutical and medical supplies industry is considered a "vital" and "important" sector. Atrash added that this industry carries many "tangible" successes and developments, and confirms commitment of its products to international specifications and standards to reach the "highest" level of competitive advantage. In remarks to "Petra" on Saturday, he noted the sector has witnessed "remarkable" development over the years, and achieved "noticeable" growth and provide "high-quality" products that enjoy acceptance at the local and global levels, thanks to the "unrelenting" inn ovation and efforts of its industrial facilities. Atrash indicated that the pharmaceutical industries and medical supplies sector has succeeded in transforming from a "modest" local industry into a global industry, characterized by "high quality and strong competitive" capabilities. Aditionally, he noted the sector's long journey began in 1962, when the first pharmaceutical factory was established in the city of Salt, with Jordanian assistance and expertise. Noting the sector's key successes over the past years, he said added value created by its production operations reached about JD852 million in 2022, representing more than half of the sector's total production. This achievement, he noted, reflects "positively" on its contribution to the gross domestic product at a rate estimated at about 4%, which confirms its "important" role in advancing sustainable development and strengthening the Kingdom's economy. Atrash pointed out that the pharmaceutical industries and medical supplies sector's facilities emp loy approximately 10,000 workers. The sector is also keen to employ local labor at various administrative and technical levels, as the rate of Jordanians recruited by the sector reached 98%, while women exceed 35% of the total workforce, he pointed out. According to Atrash, the sector has a "huge" production capacity that operates more than 70% production lines. He stated that the sector includes 151 facilities operating inside the Kingdom, with a registered capital of about JD341 million, while the number of Jordanian factories outside the country is 15 plants operating inside Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Sudan. During the past year 2023, he noted the sector achieved a "qualitative" leap at the export level, as its exports reached JD620 million with a growth rate of 19%, compared to 2022. Meanwhile, he said its products "successfully" reached more than 77 countries around the world, making Jordan the only country in the region that exports more than it imports. He stated that Jordan export s more than 40% of its pharmaceutical production annually, accounting for approximately 5% of the Kingdom's total national exports. Atrash noted estimates indicate that the Kingdom has many export opportunities in the medical industry products with a value exceeding JD344 million to many countries around the world. Under Economic Modernization Vision, he said goals aimed to increase exports to more than JD2.1 billion by 2033, reach the added value to about JD1.7 billion, increase the number of the sector workforce to reach 16,000 workers, and attract investments into the sector amounting to approximately JD1.1 billion, through 11 initiatives. Source: Jordan News Agency