New plant to make 300 million auto-disable syringes annually
Islamabad
Pakistan’s first plant for manufacturing of up to 300 million auto-disable syringes annually is on its way to be inaugurated. Established by Amson Vaccines and Pharma, this plant will manufacture syringes that have a unique mechanism of self-lock and breakage, making their reuse impossible.
Sharing the news with the media at a press conference here on Thursday, senior project manager of Amson Dr. Amir Mahmood and president of Pakistan Medical Association Dr. Muhammad Arshad Rana informed that the high-tech syringes will now be manufactured in the Amson plant in Islamabad, following transfer of technology from two WHO-pre-qualified sources.
“Our technology partners are Star Syringes, UK, and Destroject Medical Devices, GmbH Germany. Star Syringes has licenses in 18 countries while Destroject Medical Devices is the first supplier of auto-disable syringe to Unicef,” Dr. Amir told the media. The Amson Auto-disable Syringe Plant will produce up to 300 million auto-disable syringes annually for therapeutic and immunisation purposes.
Reuse of syringes is a common practice in Pakistan. According to the World Health Organisation, 21 million cases of Hepatitis B, 2 million cases of Hepatitis C and 0.2 million cases of Hepatitis occur annually in the world due to reuse of syringes. In order to prevent reuse of syringes, WHO recommends auto-disable (self-break, auto-lock) syringes which were not available in Pakistan thus far owing to absence of sophisticated technology required for the purpose.
Conventional disposable syringes can be easily reused. They are commonly collected from hospital sharps and garbage heaps and are simply washed, re-packed and re-sold in the market. The mafia behind this heinous act is playing with the lives of millions of people due to their vested interests.
Addressing the press conference, the representative of PMA said, ironically, many small scale companies are manufacturing syringes without license and registration, leading to production of substandard syringes. “Now that the Ministry of Health has made manufacturing license and registration mandatory, it should take serious notice of the issue of unregistered and unlicensed syringes and small factories,” he urged.
Amson is the first and only pharmaceutical company in the private sector that is processing and formulating Hepatitis-B and Tetanus Toxoid vaccines. The media was also apprised of Amson’s future plan of locally manufacturing the life-saving anti-dote anti-snake venom serum.
Islamabad
Pakistan’s first plant for manufacturing of up to 300 million auto-disable syringes annually is on its way to be inaugurated. Established by Amson Vaccines and Pharma, this plant will manufacture syringes that have a unique mechanism of self-lock and breakage, making their reuse impossible.
Sharing the news with the media at a press conference here on Thursday, senior project manager of Amson Dr. Amir Mahmood and president of Pakistan Medical Association Dr. Muhammad Arshad Rana informed that the high-tech syringes will now be manufactured in the Amson plant in Islamabad, following transfer of technology from two WHO-pre-qualified sources.
“Our technology partners are Star Syringes, UK, and Destroject Medical Devices, GmbH Germany. Star Syringes has licenses in 18 countries while Destroject Medical Devices is the first supplier of auto-disable syringe to Unicef,” Dr. Amir told the media. The Amson Auto-disable Syringe Plant will produce up to 300 million auto-disable syringes annually for therapeutic and immunisation purposes.
Reuse of syringes is a common practice in Pakistan. According to the World Health Organisation, 21 million cases of Hepatitis B, 2 million cases of Hepatitis C and 0.2 million cases of Hepatitis occur annually in the world due to reuse of syringes. In order to prevent reuse of syringes, WHO recommends auto-disable (self-break, auto-lock) syringes which were not available in Pakistan thus far owing to absence of sophisticated technology required for the purpose.
Conventional disposable syringes can be easily reused. They are commonly collected from hospital sharps and garbage heaps and are simply washed, re-packed and re-sold in the market. The mafia behind this heinous act is playing with the lives of millions of people due to their vested interests.
Addressing the press conference, the representative of PMA said, ironically, many small scale companies are manufacturing syringes without license and registration, leading to production of substandard syringes. “Now that the Ministry of Health has made manufacturing license and registration mandatory, it should take serious notice of the issue of unregistered and unlicensed syringes and small factories,” he urged.
Amson is the first and only pharmaceutical company in the private sector that is processing and formulating Hepatitis-B and Tetanus Toxoid vaccines. The media was also apprised of Amson’s future plan of locally manufacturing the life-saving anti-dote anti-snake venom serum.
