Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing inspects No 3 Steel Mill (Ywama), Pharmaceutical Factory (Insein) of Myanmar Economic Corporation, Pharmaceutical Factory(Ywathagyi Branch) and Hepatitis B Vaccine Factory
Nay Pyi Taw October 8
Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by SAC members General Maung Maung Kyaw, Lt-Gen Moe Myint Tun, Joint Secretary of the SAC Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, Union Minister for Industry Dr Charlie Than, Union Minister for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win, Chief Minister of Yangon Region U Hla Soe, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Moe Aung, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the commander of Yangon Command, the mayor and officials, inspected No 3 Steel Mill (Ywama) and Pharmaceutical Factory (Insein) of Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), Pharmaceutical Factory(Ywathagyi Branch) and Hepatitis B Vaccine Factory in Insein Township, Yangon Region this afternoon.
At the meeting hall of No 3 Steel Mill (Ywama), the Senior General and party heard a report on its history, operations, quality steel production programs, environment-friendly programs, raw material supply,production of oxygen and revamping programs presented by senior factory manager U Myo Tint Aung and adviser U Yin Maung Nyunt.
In response, the Senior General said steel and iron are essential for nation-building tasks. Although the country has raw materials, it cannot fulfill the domestic demand.
Hence, the country has to import steel and iron. In this regard, production should meet the local demand to reduce imports and foreign currency expenses. Products must meet the standard quality and their prices must be reasonable.
Production of steel and iron by the state-owned companies, semi-government companies such as MEC and private companies is encouraged. In addition to steel and iron, cement production must also meet the local demand. All the local products must meet the set quality. Production of bolts and nuts, essential items of the construction industry, must also meet the local demand to reduce imports. Industries play a vital role in establishing a modern nation. Steel and iron are important requirements in establishing a modern nation and cement is also an important component of the construction enterprise. Hence, officials should pay serious attention to steel and cement production.
The Senior General and party inspected the revamping activities of the mill and looked into the requirements. Then, the Senior General and party arrived at the Hepatitis B Vaccine Factory, Pharmaceutical Factory (Ywathagyi Branch) of Pharmaceutical Factory (Insein) of Myanmar Pharmaceutical Enterprise of the Ministry of Industry. At the meeting hall of the factory, Union Minister Dr Charlie Than, Managing Director U Myo Zarni Win, General Manager Dr Aung Zaw of MPE and Manager Dr Aung Thanda Oo of the factory branch reported to the Senior General on matters related to development of pharmaceutical industry, tasks being carried out, potentials for development of pharmaceutical sector, tasks being implemented to produce COVID-19 vaccines at home, the process of manufacturing hepatitis B vaccine and salient points of the factory.
After hearing the reports, the Senior General said that medicines were produced under the socialist economic system in the past but later medicines were manufactured under the market economy system like businesses. Although the pharmaceutical industry is operated under market economy, it is necessary to give priority to the domestic needs of medicines.
It is important to produce medicines that meet quality standards in order to compete in the market and to distribute them at reasonable prices. Although the government has relaxed rules and regulations for the pharmaceutical industry, it is still necessary to take appropriate measures in connection with taxes. In manufacturing products, it is important to manufacture products which are cheaper than others of the same quality or which are of higher quality than others of the same prices. It is necessary to take the interests of both producers and consumers and emphasis must be placed on meeting the market demand. Taxes for pharmaceutical raw materials are collected at appropriate rates and I have been encouraging the pharmaceutical sector.
In exerting efforts to produce COVID-19 vaccines at home, it is vital to conduct research not only to fulfil the current needs but also to meet the long term demand. It is essential to plan to cooperate with other countries in pharmaceutical technologies to produce not only COVID-19 vaccines but also other vaccines when necessary.
Although it costs a large sum of money at present, it can reduce foreign exchange spending by exerting efforts to manufacture the vaccines domestically in preparation for the worst scenario. The government will build the facility to produce COVID-19 vaccines.
Afterwards, the Senior General and party viewed the production of vaccines in the factory and responsible officials conducted round the Senior General and party. The vaccine factory was built in 2002 with the aim of vaccinating all infants against hepatitis B and the construction of the factory completed in 2003. It was granted a license by the FDA in 2005 and production started in May 2007. It has been producing hepatitis B vaccines without interruption since thenand necessary discussions are underway at the factory to produce COVID-19 vaccines at the factory.