Ranbaxy plans Afghan foray

NEW DELHI: Ranbaxy Laboratories is entering Taliban-free Afghanistan with a range of branded prescription medicines. The pharma major has already registered over 20 drugs with Afghan ministry of public health (and also organisations attached to hospitals there), as a prelude to enter the market in 2003 or early 2004.
Initially, Ranbaxy expects a modest business from Afghanistan, Ranbaxy president Brian Tempest told The Times of India.And, as an entry strategy, Ranbaxy is supplying around Rs 3 crore ($650,000) worth of free life-saving and essential medicines to Afghan ministry of public health and the Great Massoud Foundation. This one-time donation gesture is a strategy for entering an evolving market like Afghanistan.
Our experience shows that a brand is remembered among people for a long time when you supply medicines free at crisis times, Tempest said. People will remember the brand which they got in hospitals and this will work as an advantage for the company at the time of entry to a growth potential market, he added.
This initial supply of free medicines are being given to Great Massoud Foundation and Afghan ministry of public health as they are engaged in grassroot work in Afghanistan in the healthcare arena, Ranbaxy officials said. Tempest added that this initial investment is also made in expectation that Afghanistan will eventually emerge as a lucrative market as the country’s economy develops.