ammonnews.net

Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Jordan's pharmaceutical and medical supplies industries have gained footing in more than 90 countries across the globe, accounting for 9 percent of the Kingdom's exports in 2019, according to the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI).

The value of the annual output of the pharmaceutical and medical supplies industries is estimated at JD1.5 billion or 8 percent of the gross output of the whole industrial sector, JCI President Fathi Jaghbeer told Petra.

The sector adds 2 percent to the country's gross domestic product, Jaghbeer said, noting that there are 180 pharma and medical supplies factories in the Kingdom, in addition to 15 based outside of the country.

In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, local manufacturers produce 5 million face masks daily, in addition to large volumes of protective personal equipment (PPE), Jaghbeer indicated, revealing local engineers have developed artificial respirators and designed three expandable mobile hospitals.

Highlighting the sector's role in providing sustainable employment, he pointed out that an overwhelming 96 percent of the +10,000 workers in the pharmaceutical and medical supplies industry are Jordanians; 26 percent of whom are females.

The value of pharma and medical exports hit JD436 million or 9 percent of gross exports in 2019, according to Jaghbeer, who revealed that the country's annual production of disinfectants, antiseptics and sanitizers stands at 200K, 150K and 25K tons respectively.

Jaghbeer cited protectionist policies, high taxation and lengthy regulatory registration procedures by some countries as challenges to the development of the local pharma and medical supplies sector.

He called for the introduction of policies aimed at replacing foreign drugs with Jordanian medicine and "to be careful in the registration of generic medicines". Jaghbeer also demanded reciprocity with countries "that hinder" the export of Jordanian medicine and to raise the market share of locally-made supplies.