ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A new factory producing medical saline solutions opened on Thursday in Sulaimani, with Iraq’s minister of health presiding over its inauguration.
The factory is the first for Sulaimani-based PiONEER Co. to export its products, including Zhenaw, a saline solution administered to patients who need to replenish the body’s nutrients and minerals, beyond the local market.
PiONEER Co. for Pharmaceutical Industries, founded in 2011 in Iraq, is specialized in the production of both generic and branded medicines, and boasts over 200 products on the market.
Iraqi Health Minister Salih al-Hasnawi, who attended the inauguration of the new factory, hailed the company for its achievements and said Baghdad remains open to help local businesses to reach their potential.
"It is the first pharmaceutical factory whose products are exported outside the country. This represents our pride, makes every Iraqi proud," said al-Hasnawi during a press conference attended by Iraqi and Kurdish officials, including his Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) counterpart.
PiONEER Co. currently exports its products to the Sultanate of Oman, the United Arab Emirates and soon to Jordan.
Hasnawi added that the Iraqi ministry of health is increasingly more reliant on homegrown factories for locally-produced medicines.
"Our contract with PiONEER co. for Pharmaceutical Industries was worth about 23 billion IQD in 2022, it then increased to 86 billion IQD in 2023, and we are expecting this volume to increase in 2024," he said.
KRG's Minister of Health Saman Barzinji said that PiONEER is currently producing 17 saline solutions.
The company's official website states that it employs over 1,300 workers, 95 percent of whom are locals.
PiONEER’s main competitor in the Kurdistan Region is Awamedica, which is based in Erbil and has over 200 products on the market.
The factory is the first for Sulaimani-based PiONEER Co. to export its products, including Zhenaw, a saline solution administered to patients who need to replenish the body’s nutrients and minerals, beyond the local market.
PiONEER Co. for Pharmaceutical Industries, founded in 2011 in Iraq, is specialized in the production of both generic and branded medicines, and boasts over 200 products on the market.
Iraqi Health Minister Salih al-Hasnawi, who attended the inauguration of the new factory, hailed the company for its achievements and said Baghdad remains open to help local businesses to reach their potential.
"It is the first pharmaceutical factory whose products are exported outside the country. This represents our pride, makes every Iraqi proud," said al-Hasnawi during a press conference attended by Iraqi and Kurdish officials, including his Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) counterpart.
PiONEER Co. currently exports its products to the Sultanate of Oman, the United Arab Emirates and soon to Jordan.
Hasnawi added that the Iraqi ministry of health is increasingly more reliant on homegrown factories for locally-produced medicines.
"Our contract with PiONEER co. for Pharmaceutical Industries was worth about 23 billion IQD in 2022, it then increased to 86 billion IQD in 2023, and we are expecting this volume to increase in 2024," he said.
KRG's Minister of Health Saman Barzinji said that PiONEER is currently producing 17 saline solutions.
The company's official website states that it employs over 1,300 workers, 95 percent of whom are locals.
PiONEER’s main competitor in the Kurdistan Region is Awamedica, which is based in Erbil and has over 200 products on the market.
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