Sterile saline production to be in full swing in mid-2013
Production of sterile saline solution, severely hit by the massive flood last year, will not be in full gear until mid-2013, according to the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO).
GPO managing director Witit Artavatkun said the factory in Nava Nakorn industrial estate in outlying Pathum Thani province resumed its production of sterile saline solution, or balanced salt solution, last month with production of 3 million units, or 25-30 per cent of full production capacity.
Installation of machinery and equipment is almost completed but full-fledged production will not be possible until the middle of next year, he said.
Since the flood crisis, Dr Witit added, Thailand has spent more than Bt40 million to import about 2 million bags of sterile saline solution from China, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
To prevent future shortages, he said the GPO will reserve at least 20 per cent of the solution. Saline solution has a shelf live of about two years.
The factory producing sterile saline solution, operated by General Hospital Product (GHP) Ltd, is 49 per cent owned by the GPO. The locally produced solution is distributed nationwide.
The floods compelled the GHP to build anti-flood walls around its factory.
