* EDCL is now a state-owned company, say concerned people
* Research opportunities are also being created to develop vaccines
# EDCL is the wealth of the people of the country, it is my responsibility to ensure the welfare of the country and its people through its proper use
- Prof Dr Ehsanul Kabir, Managing Director, EDCL
We need medicine to save lives and if medicine is made by government, then people find the belief in purity. Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) is the only reliable government organization to produce pure medicines for the people of the country.
When various state-owned industries are struggling to meet operating costs, at the same time, the state-owned pharmaceutical company led by Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Professor Dr Ehsanul Kabir is showing surprise by making profits. When various service agencies of the state are digging with subsidies, EDCL is making a profit of more than Tk 100 crore annually. His tireless work is behind the creation of the profitable position of the organization. The result of his efficient leadership and hard work is the current EDCL, which has shown surprise in the pharmaceutical industry.
EDCL started its journey in 1962 as a government pharmaceutical laboratory. Later in 1979, it was renamed as Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Unit. EDCL was registered as a public limited company in 1983 under the Companies Act. Initially, EDCL started producing medical products shortly after the state-owned company worked as the government's procurement and distribution agency. Currently, four of the six plants produce different medicines and two produce birth control and contraceptive aids. Meeting the government demand, it is now being sold to various organizations like SMC. It is supplying 123 types of medicines to the government as per the demand of the people. The company's annual production has exceeded more than Tk 1,000 crore. At present, medicines are being exported abroad to meet the domestic demand.
Since its inception, the medicines produced by the company are being supplied to government hospitals, civil surgeon's offices, government health institutions across the country as well as non-profit international organizations like United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b).
As the company's Tejgaon factory is many years old, it is known that 31.5 acres of land in Manikganj will be renovated. This will increase the scope of EDCL's activities. It's not just about manufacturing or marketing drugs. EDCL, the only state-owned pharmaceutical company in the country, is moving forward through a continuous production process despite the global coronavirus infection. Despite the risks, employees of all levels of the organization are working tirelessly in compliance with the hygiene rules. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took the initiative to build the country's first vaccine plant in Gopalganj to reduce the cost of government money on vaccine import during the corona pandemic.
After the completion of the project, 15 types of vaccines, including Covid and dengue, can be produced through EDCL. As a result, it will have its own capacity to deal with any epidemic or epidemic in the future. And various types of vaccines produced through modern technology and world-class research can also be exported. At the same time, the country's universal vaccination program will be strengthened and research opportunities will be created to develop vaccines.
Prof Dr Ehsanul Kabir, MD and CEO of EDCL, is in charge for increasing production capacity, creating research opportunities and overall capacity. Asked about the ongoing progress of EDCL, he told The Daily Post that discipline is needed first in the organization. After the Prime Minister reposed confidence on me and gave me the responsibility of this very important institution of the government, I first brought back discipline. We have made all departments accountable. This has increased the speed of work. When I took charge in 2014, the annual production was Tk 350 crore. Now it has increased to more than Tk 1,200 crore. I have given importance to market expansion behind the increase in annual production.
He also said that the government medical institutions are increasing. Our responsibilities have also increased with it. In addition to government hospitals and clinics, police, army, BGB, prison authorities are taking our medicines. I have brought state-of-the-art machines to increase production capacity. We have kept the highest transparency in the purchase of raw materials of medicines. This has prevented wastage.
Asked whether he is embarrassed by any negative news about EDCL, Prof Dr Ehsanul Kabir said, "I am a person of honesty and justice. I know what I'm working on. EDCL is the asset of the people of the country. My responsibility is to make proper use of this resource for the welfare of the country and its people. The biggest example of how we work for the people was that the production of EDCL was not stopped even for a day during the Corona epidemic. Emergency medicines related to coronavirus continue to be produced and supplied in large quantities which we did for the people of the country."
ZH
