São Paulo – The Healthcare fair, of medical and pharmaceutical products, started in Damascus yesterday (15), and Brazilian companies that are at the event have already been able to show their products and present them to Syrian and Iraqi government representatives.
Oussama Semmak, deputy health minister of Syria, and Hassan Emami-Razavi, deputy health minister of Iran, visited the Brazilian stand. At the site included the exhibitors and also the Brazilian ambassador to Syria, Edgar Cassiano, the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, and the organisation’s director, Sami Roumieh. The space was organized by the Chamber and the embassy.
“Semmak asked about the price of an artificial breather by company Takaoka and immediately said that it was half the price of the Italian device that Syria usually buys,” said Alaby.
The secretary general also visited Avenzor laboratory, which belonged to the Saeb Nahas group, which owns 20% of the pharmaceutical sector in Syria. The laboratory is a great producer of generic medication and produces under license by multinational companies like Aventis, Pfizer and GSK.
According to Alaby, the secretary general at Avenzor, Mohamed Bashir Al Sabbagh, showed interest in the import of optical products and hormones, like insulin produced in laboratories of the National Union, whose representatives accompanied the visit.
“Dr. Bashir explained that the medication market in Syria had a turnover of US$ 650 million in 2009, growth of 12% over 2008, and the forecast for 2010 is for growth of 8% over the value for 2009,” pointed out Alaby.
According to the secretary general, the Syrian laboratory already exports to Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. It is currently trying to enter the Saudi Market.
“The demand for medication in Iraq is high, as there are only two laboratories producing in the country. The demand in the Iraqi market is estimated to need approximately US$ 1 billion in medication in 2010”. Alaby also said that the Syrian laboratory and the Chemical Union should study forms of cooperation.
*Translated by Mark Ament
