World Monitor Mag, Industrial Overview WM_November_2018_WEB_Version | Page 34

EXPERT OPINION
Friend of the national economy
Could you tell us more about SANTO
and, in particular, the role of the
domestic
pharmaceutical
industry
in the development of healthcare in
Kazakhstan?
The SANTO plant was founded in 1882 in
what is now the modern city of Shymkent.
In 2011, the company became part of the
international European Polpharma Group.
Since that time, Polpharma Group has
implemented a large-scale investment
program for production modernization at
the plant.
Irina Chublukova,
Director on market
access and specialty Care
products promotion,
Santo
To date, about $84 million has been invested
in the renewal of production. As part of the
investment program, six production sites
operating under the international standard
cGMP, a modern warehouse complex, and a
transport and logistics infrastructure have
been updated. The implemented measures
contributed to the fact that SANTO took a
leading position in the Kazakhstan market.
Today SANTO is the number one company,
according to IMS Health in terms of being
developed in the public procurement sector
and retail sales. This clearly demonstrates
that the company's development strategy
successfully harmonizes with the needs
of Kazakhstan’s healthcare system. The
company’s product and pricing policies reflect
the fact that both consumers and doctors
choose SANTO products. We are no doubt
very proud of this fact. And we understand
that this imposes certain obligations on us:
we are a socially responsible company, we
have many projects aimed at developing the
social sphere.
We are one of the largest employers in
Kazakhstan’s pharmaceutical industry. We
employ about 1,200 people, respectively,
and our share of taxes to the state budget
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is significant. In addition, we are investing
in drug development and the development
of a research laboratory in Shymkent. At
the same time, these are mainly their own
developments, and not technological transfer
from foreign locations. Our medicines are
effective, safe and of a high quality, meeting
the requirements and standards of the
Republic of Kazakhstan. The research and
testing center of our company is unique:
we do not use the services of third-party
contractors, do not order them abroad, but
rather carry out everything based on our
center.
SANTO successfully exports its products
to Russia and Kyrgyzstan, while developing
the markets of Mongolia, Tajikistan and
Turkmenistan, as well as meeting the
needs of the domestic market. This will
again benefit the country. Why do I focus
on this? SANTO follows the principles of
mutually beneficial and fair partnership,
accumulating money in Kazakhstan, paying
taxes, salaries, attracting investments,
creating a positive trade balance, without
taking money abroad. we are developing
the export of our products outside of
Kazakhstan. We believe that in this matter,
the idea of Kazakhstan patriotism is
important among investors who have come
not only to make money in the new market,
but, above all, to develop and improve it.
SANTO is a pharmaceutical company
that creates a whole cascade of effects
influencing the national economy. We have
become a ‘friend of the national economy’.
Speaking about the role of the pharmaceu-
tical industry in the development of the do-
mestic economy and the healthcare system,
it is necessary to note three important fac-
tors: first, a strong pharmaceutical industry
is a reliable and sustainable development