Today, at the site of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a round table was held on the topic “State and prospects for the development of the pharmaceutical industry. The event was held with the participation of deputies of the Senate Committee on Social and Cultural Development, representatives of government agencies, domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers, the Unified Distributor, as well as industry experts.
The round table was dedicated to discussing the current state of the pharmaceutical industry in Kazakhstan, as well as the prospects for its development in the coming years. “The pharmaceutical industry is strategically important for the health of the nation and the economic stability of the country. We are ready to support all initiatives aimed at its development and strengthening,” the senators noted when opening the event.
The round table participants presented their reports and proposals, discussed prospects and outlined specific steps for further development of the industry. Particular attention was paid to the issues of ensuring the availability and quality of medicines for the population.
One of these reports was made by the executive director of the Unified Distributor, Askhat Mubarakov, on the topic “Pharmaceutics of Kazakhstan: analysis and development prospects.” First of all, he focused on the structure of the country’s pharmaceutical market, noting that the volume of the pharmaceutical market in Kazakhstan is 2.2 million US dollars.
There was also talk about the export of medicines from the country. Over the past 10 years, there has been an 11-fold increase in exports. If in 2013 the amount of exports amounted to 23.5 million US dollars, then in 2023 this figure reached 40.9 million US dollars. As for the import of medicines, it amounts to 1,741.2 million US dollars, while in 2023 more than 22% of imported pharmaceutical products are German goods. The leaders also include Switzerland, Russia, India, Italy and Türkiye.
During the presentation, special attention was focused on the development of domestic production. Supporting domestic producers and entrepreneurial initiatives is one of the main activities of the Unified Distributor.
Through the Unified Distributor system, there are 94 long-term contracts with 35 domestic manufacturers for the supply of 3,947 types of medicines. From 2009 to 2024, there has been a systematic increase in the share of Kazakhstani drugs in the purchase of the Unified Distributor. Most domestic drugs are purchased within the framework of long-term contracts concluded with domestic producers for 10 years.
The participants were presented with purchasing methods by the Unified Distributor. At the moment there are four of them, these are a two-stage tender, long-term contracts, direct contracts and international organizations. Purchasing methods through the unified distribution system are strictly regulated and transparent.
A swot analysis of the pharmaceutical industry in Kazakhstan was also presented to the attention of the participants. Strengths include state support for the development of domestic production, investments in the production of medicines, and the presence of 10 large production sites, providing 87.4% of government orders. At the same time, pharmaceuticals are included in the priority sectors of the economy.
And the weaknesses include: lack of production of substances and original drugs, interaction between the scientific community of Kazakhstan and manufacturers, low level of research and educational potential in the field of pharmaceuticals, their financing, as well as personnel shortages in the field of pharmaceutical production.
To solve the assigned tasks, the Unified Distributor is carrying out comprehensive work. Over the past few years, cooperation has been developed with a number of companies from South Korea, China, Belgium, the Netherlands and other countries.
A breakthrough result was the conclusion of long-term agreements for the contract production of original innovative drugs with pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Roche. Also, agreements on cooperation and localization of innovative patented medicines have been signed and it is planned to conclude long-term contracts with AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Bayer and Johnson & Johnson. Similar work is being carried out with large vendors of medical equipment.
At the same time, in order to implement the instructions of the Head of State and increase management productivity, the Unified Distributor has developed an efficiency program that includes 15 areas. It is aimed at continuous continuous improvement and improvement of procurement processes.
During the speech, the introduction of the principles of pharmacy management was proposed. The audience was presented with an integrated approach to supply and order management in the pharmaceutical sector, aimed at improving efficiency and quality of patient care.
After all the speeches were completed, the deputies and experts summed up the results of the round table and identified priority areas of work in the near future. Participants emphasized the importance of continuing constructive dialogue between government and business to achieve common goals in the field of healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
It is worth noting that in preparation for the round table, senators and pharmaceutical industry specialists previously visited domestic production sites for a more detailed understanding of current pressing issues and consideration of their solutions.
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