Message from the President

The newly appointed President of the Sri Lanka Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI) began by extending heartfelt thanks to the membership for their trust, while acknowledging the outgoing President Mr. Prathaban and the Council for their steadfast leadership during a transformative year. The speech also expressed gratitude to the Chief Guest, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The President laid out a bold and clear vision: “To build a sustainable, ethical, and respected pharmaceutical industry that serves the people of Sri Lanka with excellence.” Emphasizing unity, responsibility, and purpose, the President framed the role not merely as a position, but as a mission to serve, uplift, and advocate for the industry.

Seven key strategic initiatives were introduced to shape the direction of the Chamber during the year:

1. Policy Advocacy – Engaging with government to create a regulatory environment that ensures sustainability, fairness, and better healthcare outcomes, including a strong push for enhanced laboratory infrastructure and a fully functional NMRA online portal.
2. Representing Membership Diversity – Ensuring inclusive representation of all members, from multinationals to local enterprises, manufacturers to distributors, while addressing their varied needs and challenges.
3. Restoring Professionalism in Talent – Elevating the image and career development of medical representatives, who are critical links between the industry and healthcare professionals.
4. Implementing the SLCPI Code of Conduct – Rolling out and educating members on the newly developed Code to reinforce ethical practices and transparency across the industry.
5. Strengthening the Pharma Promoters Association (PPA) – Positioning the PPA as a strategic partner, supporting its growth, leadership, and member engagement.
6. Stakeholder Engagement – Building collaborative, trust-based relationships with all stakeholders including regulators, HCPs, hospitals, pharmacies, and patients.
7. Launching the Annual Pharmaceutical Forum – Creating a premier platform for global collaboration, innovation, and ethical discourse, with potential partnerships with Indian pharmaceutical leaders.

The President ended with a call to unity and collective action, inviting all stakeholders to participate in building an industry that leads with ethics, innovation, and excellence. Expressing personal gratitude to mentors and colleagues, the President reaffirmed a deep commitment to serve with integrity.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, “The future depends on what we do in the present”, the President urged all present to move forward boldly, together, to elevate the Sri Lankan pharmaceutical sector.