Turkey to target local production of medicines: PM

By Sinan Uslu

ANKARA (AA) - Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Saturday Turkey's target was to make medicines required in the country locally.

"Eighty percent of medicines consumed in Turkey were produced locally in 2017," he said in a statement issued by the prime ministry.

He added Turkey produced medicines worth nearly 2.2 billion Turkish liras ($600 million) in 2017.

"Turkey has the capacity to produce medicines worth 6.1 billion liras ($1.6 billion)," he said.

Yildirim said Turkey would be able to save more than 6 billion liras ($1.57 billion) by producing medicines locally.

So far, Turkey has been producing 577 medicines.

"If we want a more powerful Turkey we must widen our horizons for indigenous projects," he said.