Keen to sensitise the stakeholders about the proposed programme on pharmaceutical procurement procedures followed by various UN agencies and funded NGOs, Pharmexcil in association with WHO, UNICEF and UNPFA is organising a meeting at Copenhagen in Denmark in November. This joint programme is specifically held to inform the exporters mainly the manufacturers and suppliers of diagnostic products, vaccines, contraceptive devices, finished pharma products and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), about the programme on pharma procurement procedures.

Dr P V Appaji, director general of Pharmexcil informed that the purpose of this meeting is to provide guidance and useful tools that will assist in the process of becoming a supplier of medicines and diagnostics to UNICEF, UNFPA and other international procurement organisations. This meeting is targeted to open up window of unique opportunity for manufacturers to learn more about the procedures used in international public procurement.
 
Special focus will be on market demand, regulatory issues and supply of quality medicines, contraceptive devices, vaccines and diagnostics for areas with special interest like HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and reproductive and maternal health, he added. He insisted that this will be an excellent platform to interact with international procurers, quality of medicines experts and international donors in the field of RH and other areas of public health.
 
“Commerce ministry is doing all the best to support and help the industry in dealing with the export challenges to boost and encourage more active participation from the stakeholders. This meeting is also a part of this initiative and is sure to ease a lot of regulatory issues of the exporters,” he added.
 
In a similar move to support the industry, the department of commerce is organising a healthcare and medical devices exhibition in Kabul, Afghanistan from September 22 to 24. Interestingly, though this event is not organised by Pharmexcil, the main focus of the exhibition will be to showcase the healthcare and medical services, medical equipment and devices from India.
 
It is understood that the government has undertaken this initiative to tap the countries with growing exports of healthcare and medical services. Reports suggest that about 80 to 85 per cent of Afghanistan's medicinal requirements are met by imports from Pakistan, Iran, India, Korea and China. Pharmexcil informs that India's pharma exports to Afghanistan during the year 2013-14 are to the tune of Rs. 287 crore growing at the rate of 17 per cent over 2012-13.
 
Dr Appaji informed that as part of the export promotion measures by centre the department of commerce is proposing to support the under MAI scheme exporters of healthcare and medical services, medical equipment and devices, by providing an opportunity to display their products at free of cost or minimal cost during this exhibition. Dr Appaji further added that this would certainly provide a good platform to understand MENA markets and trends for positioning their products in these regions.