Jordan launches its campaign 'Jordanian Medicines...The Quality your Health Deserves'

The press conference was attended by Dr. Ruba Jaradat from USAID's Economic Growth Office, His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Rawashdeh General Manager of the Jordanian Food and Drug Administration, board members from JAPM, as well as key invitees that represented key companies from within the sector.

The campaign 'Jordanian Medicines...The Quality your Health Deserves' aims at creating awareness among Jordanians on important facts about the Jordanian medicine. JAPM Secretary General Hanan Sboul stressed during her presentation about the campaign that local medicine covers almost 50% of total consumption in the local market in terms of units, due to its high quality and favorable price.

Jordanian medicine is also subject to control standards and regulatory health procedures within Jordan and the countries it exports to which apply rigid international standardization.

The campaign will include professional meetings with doctors, and pharmacists, as well as various promotional items that bear messages that concentrate on Jordanian medicines' quality and efficacy through pharmacies in three major cities in the Kingdom. The campaign will also contain a pre and post assessment in order to determine the campaign's effectiveness.

From his end and on behalf of His Excellency Dr. Nayef Al Fayez, Dr. Sami Duleimi, stated:

"Our pharmaceutical industry is the key to our medical security, and a great supporter to our economy, as well as a key supplier for medicines that continuously fulfill the needs of the Jordanian citizens."

From the USAID's end, Dr. Ruba Jaradat assured, that USAID has supported many projects for the pharmaceutical sector which concentrated on the technical side such as improving the technologies for production; building capacity among the workforce, enabling the industry to cope with international standards. However, the support did not only include technical aspects but has included marketing and awareness initiatives due to their importance.

Dr. Maher Al Kurdi stated, "The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry has gained the trust of the doctors and Jordanians, and has been able to compete on all levels when compared to developed countries."

As for Dr. Rawashdeh he assured the attendees that the Jordanian medicine is effective indeed, equivalent to originators, and more importantly has an advantage due to its competitive prices.

The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Jordan employs over 8,000 jobs, and is considered to be a major supporter for the Jordanian economy as a pioneer in the exporting market, as it exports to over 65 countries around the world that includes Europe and the United States of America.

The Jordanian medicine is well perceived based on its high quality, safety, efficacy, and competitive prices. The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry represented 8% of total exports in 2008, equal to $490m, which also represents 75% of total production of the Jordanian medicine.

USAID Jordan Economic Development Program (SABEQ) has been long supporting this industry due to its quality potential and exporting capabilities through many initiatives aimed at improving and sustaining the industry to manufacture the Jordanian medicine according to international standards. Many studies aimed at identifying strength, opportunities, weaknesses and threats were conducted in order to identify the most crucial points that need concentration in order to uplift its competition on a regional and international level.

USAID Jordan Economic Development Program (SABEQ) has also worked with its partners on improving pharmaceutical exports through building capacity of the sector's workforce through a number of workshops held for that purpose. Perhaps one of the equally important initiative the USAID provided, has been to help sector companies towards enhancing their performance to reach regional and international markets and become self sustainable through providing them with thorough marketing studies.

The Jordanian Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (JAPM) was established in 1996 as a dedicated sector specific business association. Its vision is to develop and upgrade the pharmaceutical into world class standards to become a global player industry through providing technical assistance, building capacity, enhancing technology transfer and alliances for its effective continuity and growth as a major supporter of the Jordanian economy. The association has a member base of 13 manufacturing companies, as well as many supporting members and pharmaceutical research centers.