The Central-Executive Officer of the medicinal drug-producing group, Saidal, M. Ali Aoun, responded yesterday to the statement made by the Health Minister, Amar Tou, who brought into question locally produced medicines’ efficiency. M. Aoun said the minister’s declaration harms the trust the sick are starting again to have in such local products. This would make it necessary to review the overall health strategy, adopted by our country for many years, he added.
Ali Aoun expressed his anger at the Health Minister’s statement on the efficiency of local-produced medications, saying it may well generate problems with clients especially as Saidal is represented in nine African countries. He considers that the “little trust” the group succeeds in earning is threatened. If what the minister said comes true, we would have to reconsider Algeria’s health strategy, the Saidal CEO said. Algeria is exclusively producing important medicinal drugs in Africa, Aoun added. “Medication is neither good nor bad, it is either complying with international standards or not complying”, he asserted.
Asked on the information about Saidal dealing mainly with French laboratories, Ali Aoun said “my only concern is to make Saidal number one in the market”. However, he regretted the fact that the National Pharmacy is refusing Avian Flu medication produced by Saidal, adding that the group is storing two million and half units of that medicinal drug.
Saidal CEO on Health Minister’s statement about medicines: "It may cause problems with our clients and partners"