'Kingdom's pharmaceutical industry grows by 19% in 2024, national products reach 80 markets worldwide'

AMMAN — The Kingdom's pharmaceutical industry has seen "remarkable" improvement during the past few years, thanks to His Majesty King Abdullah's support, an official from the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) said,

Head of the Therapeutic Industries and Medical Supplies at JCI Fadi Atrash said that the pharmaceutical industry is a major pillar of the Economic Modernisation Vision, which seeks to magnify the successes of the sector in enhancing economic growth and creating job opportunities. 

In remarks to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Atrash said that JCI and other stakeholders are working together with a wider goal to transform Jordan into a "regional" centre for pharmaceutical products and achieve drug security locally and regionally.

Jordanian drug exports have witnessed a growth of 19 per cent during the first nine months of 2024, reaching JD437 million, compared to JD368 million for the same period in 2023, according to official statistics.

Jordanian pharmaceutical products now reach around 80 markets globally, with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the US, UAE, Algeria and Yemen being the major importers, Petra said.

In August last year, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, the Ministry of Investment, the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) and the Jordan Pharmaceutical Industry Support Project, with support from the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) and funding from The Netherlands, launched an initiative to boost Jordan's pharmaceutical industry.

According to official data, the Kingdom's first pharmaceutical factory was established in 1966 and, by 2023, the national pharmaceutical industry had grown to 139 facilities employing around 9,500 people, with products reaching more than 78 international markets.

The sector's exports totalled JD748.4 million in 2023, an increase of 7 per cent compared with 2022.