Further committing to its nation-building efforts, Lina Manufacturing - the pharmaceutical manufacturing segment of Sunshine Healthcare Lanka (SHL), recently delivered its first order of 100% locally formulated and manufactured Metered-Dose Inhalers (MDIs) to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Delivered through the Medical Supplies Division of the MoH, the consignment was handed over to Dr. D. R. K. Herath, Deputy Director General - Medical Supplies Division, by Prof. Anil Goonetilleke, Director & Founder of Lina Manufacturing. T. Sayandhan, CEO, Shiraz Akbarally, Director and Lasitha Ranasinghe, Manager - Commercial Operations, Lina Manufacturing were also present during the official handover of MDIs.

Sunshine Healthcare Lanka, the healthcare arm of the diversified conglomerate Sunshine Holdings PLC, officially commenced the operations of Sri Lanka’s first Metered-Dose Inhaler (MDI) manufacturing plant Lina Spiro Ltd in Kadawatha, in January 2021. The state-of-the-art factory which has a qualified and experienced staff manufacturing a line of Respiratory Care Products, is the only GMP certified manufacturer of MDI products in Sri Lanka.

Commenting on this special occasion, Lina Manufacturing Chief Executive Officer T. Sayandhan said, “The unprecedented global health crisis since 2020 has reopened the now-urgent discussion about the role of local pharmaceutical production in addressing the health needs in countries like Sri Lanka. Lina Manufacturing is committed to supporting the growing demand for locally-manufactured pharmaceutical products as a company that believes in nation-building efforts. In that context, we are extremely honored to deliver our first, 100% locally formulated and manufactured MDIs to the Health Ministry. This further facilitates access to needed and affordable medicines for every Sri Lankan.”

Lina Manufacturing has been engaged in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector for over ten years and is a thriving local manufacturer supplying a large variety of respiratory products to the Government sector and private sector. Lina has pioneered the development of local respiratory products with its patented Respiratory Inhaler Device and continues to invest significantly in R&D to introduce more products. As Sri Lanka’s first Respiratory Care Research and Manufacturing facility, Lina Manufacturing produces a range of respiratory pharmaceuticals and devices, including Beclovent, Flutivent, Salbuvent, Prazolin, Winterpan and the award-winning Ventohaler inhalers.

In December 2020, Sunshine Holdings announced its healthcare business’s strategic merger consisting of Sunshine Healthcare Lanka and Healthguard Pharmacy with Akbar Pharmaceuticals, Lina Manufacturing and Lina Spiro—the business units of Akbar Healthcare. The merger’s finalisation elevated Sunshine Healthcare as Sri Lanka’s first fully integrated healthcare company, starting from manufacturing up to retailing healthcare products, including last-mile distribution across the country for all healthcare products. The company now operates in all five segments of the healthcare supply chain, namely research and development (R&D), manufacturing, importation, distribution and retail.

The company is committed to investing in expanding its production capabilities to facilitate and decrease exposure to imports and international supply chains, ensuring the resilience of Sri Lanka’s national healthcare systems.

Image Caption - From left - Shiraz Akbarally, Director, Prof. Anil Goonetilleke, Director & Founder, Lina Manufacturing, Dr. D. R. K. Herath, Deputy Director General - Medical Supplies Division, T. Sayandhan, CEO of Lina Manufacturing and Lasitha Ranasinghe, Manager - Commercial Operations, at the official handover of MDIs.

Sunshine Healthcare has appointed Mr. T. Sayandhan as the Chief Executive Officer of Lina Manufacturing, the pharmaceutical manufacturing segment of the diversified company. Sayandhan, currently CEO of Sunshine Medical Devices, has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He joined Sunshine Healthcare in 2017 to spearhead Sunshine Medical Devices and has been instrumental in growing the healthcare business to be the key driver of the Group’s financial performance, helping Sunshine Healthcare to sustain its growth over the few years amidst tough macroeconomic conditions.

Commenting on the new appointment, Sunshine Healthcare Managing Director Shyam Sathasivam said, “As a responsible Sri Lankan conglomerate, we believe the local production of pharmaceuticals plays a vital role in maintaining the resilience of national healthcare systems. When escalating macroeconomic conditions are putting immense pressure on the local healthcare sector, producing pharmaceuticals locally will facilitate access to needed medicines and decrease exposure to imports and international supply chains. At this critical juncture, I believe Sayandhan has demonstrated the right combination of talent and drive to step into this key leadership role at the company.”

Commenting on his appointment, Sayandhan said, “It is a challenging yet exciting time to join Lina Manufacturing when the company is advancing its efforts to develop Sri Lankan-made, innovative healthcare solutions. For over a decade, Lina manufacturing has used its R&D acumen to develop pharmaceutical products for both the public and private sectors. I am honored and look forward to leading the Lina team to further diversify its locally produced pharmaceuticals portfolio and help widen access to quality medicine to all Sri Lankans.”

Sayandhan started his career with GlaxoSmithKline, where he served for more than ten years as a Medical Rep, Hospital Coordinator, Product Executive, Brand Manager and Category Manager. He then took on an enhanced role at Hemas Pharmaceuticals, serving as Country Manager for Allergan and Abbott Medical Optics. Before joining Sunshine Healthcare, he was the Chief Executive Officer – Healthcare Cluster and Director at Delmege Forsyth. Sayandhan, an Executive Committee Member of Sunshine Holdings PLC, holds an MBA from the University of Peradeniya and is currently reading for his doctorate. Sayandhan is also a Fellow of the Charted Institute of Marketing (UK), Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing and the Institute of Management Sri Lanka.

Lina Manufacturing is Sri Lanka’s first Respiratory Care Research and Manufacturing facility. It manufactures a range of respiratory pharmaceuticals and devices, including Beclovent, Flutivent, Salbuvent, Prazolin, Winterpan and the award-winning Ventohaler inhalers. Lina Spiro is the latest venture focusing on manufacturing the newest technology, metered-dose inhalers (MDI) for respiratory care. It is the only such manufacturer certified to WHO-GMP standards in Sri Lanka, opening doors to international exports.

Image Caption : T. Sayandhan