Bangladesh has started local production of modern insulin cartridges (penfills) for the first time, a move expected to increase supply and reduce prices of life-saving diabetes medication.
SKF Pharmaceuticals Limited and Denmark-based pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk have jointly launched the production initiative, which is based on technology transfer from Denmark.
Until now, Novo Nordisk had imported modern insulins such as Novomix and NovoRapid from abroad. These insulins will now be produced domestically using the same technology.
A concerned official said prices of Novomix and NovoRapid insulin could be reduced by up to 18 percent.
However, quality testing of each batch produced will still be conducted in Denmark.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bokul said this initiative could strengthen the supply system of life-saving medicines and reduce import dependence in the health sector.
Director General of the Directorate General of Drug Administration Major General Md Shamim Haider said ensuring quality and safety in biologic medicines like insulin is a major challenge, and the new production system will be strictly monitored.
Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Christian Brix Møller said this partnership has created opportunities to use advanced technology, which will help increase local production capacity.
According to health sector stakeholders, the number of diabetes patients in the country is increasing rapidly. Currently, around 1.30 crore people are affected by this disease. It is feared that this number could reach 2.20 crore by 2045.
In this context, providing affordable and accessible insulin supply has become a major challenge. Whether this new production initiative can alleviate that pressure will depend on how effectively supply, price and quality control can be maintained.
