Self-sufficiency at the heart of Belarus’ strategy for pharmaceutical industry
The life and health of people are at the forefront of Belarus's national security. The pharmaceutical and microbiological industries play a special role here.
Over the years of independence, Belarus has come a long way in this direction – from producing a modest range of medicines to modern multidisciplinary production of complex medical preparations. In a new episode of the BELTA YouTube project "As a Matter of Fact: Decisions of the First," we will tell you why Alexander Lukashenko demanded the replacement of imported medicines and whether the authorities managed to implement this strategy, why Belarus needed a vaccine center, and what trap we all fell into when, according to the President, "we went crazy and stopped living in harmony with nature," what the head of state warned private pharmacies about, and what medicine the Belarusian leader considers the most effective and, at the same time, the cheapest. A small spoiler: it is within everyone's reach.
What medicines are produced in Belarus
Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals have long been among the priority development vectors of the Belarusian state. Just one fact: in monetary terms, more than half of the medicines in the country are domestically produced. At the same time, in terms of conventional packages, the share of Belarusian drugs in pharmacies is about 65%. And this figure is growing.
Belarus offers a range of unique drugs for the treatment of oncological, immune, and cardiovascular diseases, antiviral and antibacterial drugs, as well as remedies for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, digestive tract, metabolism, and others. But, of course, it was not always like this.
The history of the pharmaceutical industry in Belarus began 100 years ago. In the 1920s, the First Five-Year Plan Chemical-Pharmaceutical Plant (now the Belmedpreparaty enterprise) started operating in the republic. Initially, essential goods were produced here: powders, ointments, mixtures. Over time, the product range expanded and was even supplied to friendly countries of the USSR in Europe, Asia, and to Cuba.