Pasuruan (ANTARA) - US-based pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD) has extended its packaging facility in Pandaan, Pasuruan, East Java, to meet medical supplies demand in Asia. The plant built with an investment of around US$21 million was dedicated by the director general of pharmaceutical and health equipment development of the ministry of health, Linda Sitanggang, flanked by deputy head of the National Investment Coordinating Board, Farah Ratnadewi Indriani, here on Tuesday. The ceremony was also attended by East Java vice governor Saifullah Yusuf, MSD Asia Pacific President Patrick Bergstedt, MSD Indonesia President and Managing Director Chris Tan and Merck Manufacturing Division Operations Senior Vice President John Markels. The packaging plant is the development of the first pharmaceutical production facility in Pandaan built by Merck in 1975 and has been operating until now. "The new packaging facility will help us achieve our mission in meeting demand from customers for Merck products needed by the regional markets," John Markels said on the occasion. He said the decision to invest in Pasuruan was made because of Indonesia's strategic location for exporting Merck products to Asia. Among the products packaged in the new plant are medicines for contagious diseases, respiratory, cardiovascular problems, oncology, diabetes, and hypertension. "Besides Asia products packaged in the plant are also distributed to other countries in the world. The composition is 75 percent for exports and 25 percent others for meeting needs in Indonesia," Chris Tan, said. He said Indonesia with its population reaching around 250 million is a potential market for pharmaceutical products. "Indonesia's positive economic growth in the midst of global crisis has made us more optimistic to invest in the country. We will keep conducting research to develop products needed by the people," he said. Linda Sitanggang meanwhile said demands for medicines would continue to increase in line with the government's plan to implement a national social insurance system in 2014. "The domestic pharmaceutical market grows 12 to 14 percent a year which is higher than in other Southeast Asian countries. The figure could be higher when the national social insurance system is implemented later," she said. Linda said until now 208 pharmaceutical companies have been operating in Indonesia including 33 foreign companies. (*)

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