The Department of Drug Administration has recommended that the Ministry of Health and Population ban the import of 30 molecule medicines from foreign countries.

The recommendation from the national drug market regulator is in line with the government policy of promoting national industries and attaining self-sufficiency in pharmaceutical drugs production.

Moreover, a meeting of the Drug Consultative Council had decided on January 16 to allow the import of only molecules of 30 drugs, and not the medicines.

“We have sent our list of recommendations to the Health Ministry,” said DDA Director Narayan Prasad Dhakal, adding that the recommendation will be implemented once the Cabinet endorses the proposal. He said that the DDA had been working to increase the number of drugs on the list of those that can be manufactured by Nepali firms.

Amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin, paracetamol, albendazol, vitamin supplements, and cough syrups, among other medicines, are listed in the DDA’s recommendation. The DDA also had discussions with private pharmaceutical firms for their feedback on the recommendations.

Dhakal said that representatives of the Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal (APPON) have committed to ensuring the availability of drugs in the market.

The department has also discussed its plans with the Health Ministry, representatives of drug manufacturers and others to seek alternatives if foreign companies refuse to supply drugs that Nepali companies cannot manufacture.

APPON also claimed that 85 percent market of the said drugs was covered by Nepali products. Dahal said that APPON would supply the drugs which Nepali companies do not manufacture in case foreign companies stop their supply in retribution.

There are 55 pharmaceutical companies operating in the country. Of the 46 billion rupee national drug market, domestic manufacturers supply drugs worth about Rs21 billion. APPON said that Indian companies supply medicines worth about Rs23 billion and pharmaceutical companies of other countries supply medicines worth about two billion rupees.

Deepak Prasad Dahal, the APPON chairman, said that the recommendation should have been enforced one year ago, as then-health minister Gagan Thapa had decided to start allowing the import of molecules for 30 drugs.

The recommendation was also in line with the budget for the fiscal year 2018-19, which said arrangements have been made to provide protection for sugar, medicine, iron bar, wood, cement and at least a dozen or so construction materials in order to be self-reliant within the next two years.

“The Cabinet should not take time to pass the proposal,” said Dahal, adding that national companies cannot thrive without the government’s protection. He expressed his commitment that national manufacturers would ensure quality drugs at reasonable prices.