Manufucturers cry for help

Feb 21, 2010

KAMPALA<br><br>Local manufacturers have pleaded with President Yoweri Museveni to consider promoting locally made products to boost the growth of the industrial sector. Ramesh Babu, the Abacus Parenteral Drugs managing director, told the President that the manufacturing sector needed protection a

KAMPALA

Local manufacturers have pleaded with President Yoweri Museveni to consider promoting locally made products to boost the growth of the industrial sector. Ramesh Babu, the Abacus Parenteral Drugs managing director, told the President that the manufacturing sector needed protection against competition from imported products.

“Mr. President, I urge you to give preference in buying the locally manufactured goods over imported ones especially by National Medical Stores and other district hospitals,” he pleaded.

Babu explained that running pharmaceutical industries was one of the most intricate ventures since it involved strict quality control measures, employment of highly qualified technical people and huge investments.

He said encouraging the growth of the local manufacturing sector would save the country the heavy import bill as well as create employment opportunities.

Museveni, who commissioned the $20m (about sh39b) Abacus intra-venous drugs processing plant at Kapeke in Mukono district, promised that the Government would build more dams to increase the supply of enough, cheap and reliable electricity in order to reduce the cost of production.

“The construction of Bujagali dam is on course and the building of the Karuma dam would commence soon. Be assured of reduced costs of production which will eventually push the drug costs down to the benefit of our health care industry,” the President said.
Museveni promised to direct the health ministry to buy the factory’s products instead of importing medicines.

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