MUSCAT: Opal Bio Pharma Company held a ceremony on Wednesday, July 12, to celebrate laying the foundation stone for the second phase of the first Omani factory for biological medicines and vaccines in the Sultanate of Oman.
To be establishment with an investment RO 60 million, the plant will come up on a 37,000 sqm site at Khazaen Economic City. Its construction will be completed in two years.
The ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr Hilal Ali al Sabti, Minister of Health.
Sa’ad Moosa al Junaibi, Chairman of Opal Bio Pharma Company, said the factory will place Oman on the global vaccines production map and offers the country an opportunity to export medical drugs to other countries of the world.
He added that the project will provide many employment opportunities for Omanis who are holders of different academic qualifications. The unit will also cut down dependence on the imports of medical drugs, notably during health crises and disasters, he explained.
For his part, Eng Salim Suleiman al Dhuhli, CEO of Khazaen Economic City, told Oman News Agency (ONA) that the factory is the first of its kind in the Pharmaceutical City at Khazaen and that the unit targets local and foreign markets.
Al Dhuhli added that Khazaen Economic City, which constitutes one of the pillars of Oman Vision 2040, was embarked on attracting pharmaceutical industries as part of their strategic importance in medical drugs’ security.
The Ministry of Health affirmed that investment in this project responds to the requirements of the current stage aimed at placing Oman on the global map of advanced countries. The objectives include the establishment of a diversified economy based on integration among all sectors, as well as the realization of national aspirations to reach drug security, the ministry added.
Major industries localized in the medical drugs city include insulin production, human biological vaccines, veterinary medicines and vaccines, medical supplies and dental implant industries. — ONA
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