Local manufacturers meet demand for syringes

Pharmaceutical sector in the country has received their due recognition for keeping drug supply sufficient during pandemic through producing generic medicines the country required.

Demand for syringe or any other mostly used injection devices never went out of supply during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thanks to the local manufacturing companies they almost met the growing demand for injection devices (mainly syringes) in the country. Only the sophisticated syringes were imported during the time.

Bangladesh is the second country in South Asia that is producing medical devices. But all the devices being produced by the local companies are injection devices.

It was Opso Saline that started the journey in 1986 followed by JMI and ANC of GME. Besides them, companies like Getwell of RF and Incepta Ltd also entered the market.

Sector insiders said the large size of the local market of these products drew the attention of the investors. Injection devices are being exported right now.

According to Bangladesh Investment Development Authorities, more than four thousand categories of medical devices, including 400 types of high-end devices and surgical items are used in the country.

The country manufactures only 5-7 percent of these devices locally. Manufacturers said the items are mainly injection devices.

The market size of disposable syringe in the country could not be stated by anyone. But they said it accounted for some 5 percent of the total Tk20, 000 crore medical device market.

According to JMI they are producing 60 percent of the total conventional syringe demand of the country and 100 percent auto disposable syringes and IV injection.

Getwell of PRAN-RFL is producing 15 percent of the total conventional syringe demand of the country.

Over 20 injection devices are produced in the country. Among them, syringe, cannula, Infusion set are in the most demand, said Dr Bijoy Kumer Sarker, Manager (Institutional Business) of Anc Medical Device BD Ltd.

Abhijit Paul, Executive Director (ED) of JMI Syringes and Medical Devices (JSMD), said they are meeting all demands for 140 million pieces of auto disposable syringe items while they manufacture 320 million of conventional syringes.

Besides, they are the sole producer of Infusion set that has a market of 20 million pieces. They also bring 25million cannula yearly to the market.

According to the sector insiders, lack of skilled manpower especially the engineers, high duty of raw materials and limited research and development have remained the major challenges for local manufacturers.

Despite the limitations, they are exporting medical devices to almost 40 countries including European countries, he added.

Blood tube set (BTS) used for cardiac dialysis is the major item for

export followed by syringes and cannula, he said.

The ongoing pandemic has revealed the need and demand for medical devices in the local market and so more investors and large local companies

are getting interested to invest in the market.

More sophisticated devices are now being produced in the country, said ANC Manager Bijoy Kumer.

ANC is the first local company that began to produce Vacuum Blood Collection tube in the country.

Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Medical Instrument and Hospital Equipment Dealers and Manufacturers Association Md Jasim Uddin said although the international medical device market is little bit unstable for increasing value of US Dollar and rise in shipment charges there is less possibilities of syringe crisis.

“We only import sensitive and sophisticated syringes upon demands,” he added.

Director (administration) of the DGDA Ayub Hossain said almost 98 to 99 percent of the local demands for syringes are met by the local manufacturers. Only the sophisticated ones, having low demands are being imported in the country.

“We always try to protect interest of public so that they have to spend less and also try to make the environment more sustainable for the local manufacturers.”

He said they (DGDA) had the policy to help flourish local manufacturing companies with quality and they are thinking of new ways to encourage more investment and sustainability of the sector.