A Look Back

Behind the august stride of the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC), there is a significant history of forethought efforts and a diligently traversed journey.

 

The foundation of the SPMC was laid by the Bibile Wickramasinghe Report prepared by the late Professor Senaka Bibile and Dr S A Wickramasinghe. The report was the result of an assignment handed to Professor Senaka Bibile and Dr S A Wickramasinghe by then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayake for the task of establishing an essential drug manufacturing entity owned and operated by the government of Sri Lanka.

 

After the report was handed over to then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayake in 1971, the government embarked on importing essential medicinal drugs as the first phase of the plan. The second phase was manufacturing a number of selected essential drugs within the country.

 

In 1985, Ministry of Health prepared a proposal for the establishment of a Formulation Centre for Essential Drugs and it was accepted by the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA). It was the culmination of the efforts and the fulfillment of the dreams of the founders of this endeavor.

 

The principal activities of the Corporation

The principal activities of the Corporation as mandated by the State industrial corporation ACT,NO.49 of 1957 are:

 

  • Manufacturing, processing, stocking, packing and re-packing of drugs
  • The provision of technical know-how of the above operations
  • Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical researches and the standardization of drugs and
  • Marketing of drugs so produced

 

 

The principal activities amended by the Gazette notification dated 2019.08.20 are:

  • Either by itself or by entering in to such Joint Venture, public-Private Partnership or other such agreement to manufacture, process, stock, pack or repack medicine
  • To create subsidiary companies.
  • To enter into International Agreement with potential investors.
  • To provide technical assistance for the manufacturing and processing of medicine.
  • To undertake pharmacological and pharmaceutical research and the standardization of medicine.
  • To market medicinal products produced by the Corporation or Joint Venture or other such agreements.