Biomérieux, a French healthcare company, plans to increase its sales in the Egyptian market to EGP 300m in the next couple of years, Hisham Gamil, area business manager-East Africa for Biomérieux, told Daily News Egypt on the sidelines of the company's conference, on Tuesday, to celebrate the company's launching in the local market. “We've been here since July 2019, since then we've already achieved EGP40m in sales,” Gamil mentioned, noting that the Egyptian market enjoys good potential in terms of legislative procedures' improvements, strategic location, and the political leadership's support for the private sector. Biomérieux discussed with Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population the possibilities of signing several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to boost joint cooperation, disease diagnoses, and raise awareness of antibiotics misuse -as many Egyptians use antibiotics for diseases that aren't bacterial-, Gamil said, expecting MoU signings to take place very soon. Biomérieux has a strong relationship with the Egyptian government and private sector, Gamil asserted, noting that Biomérieux might establish a factory in the local market in the future, yet the current period doesn't have any serious plans in this regard. For his part, Alexandre Mérieux, chairperson and CEO of Biomérieux, said that his company aims to maintain its strong presence in the Egyptian market, not only by depending on the commercial side, but also by focusing on investments, education, and training for Egyptian doctors. Mérieux said that his company is a family business with a mission of saving the lives of people around the world, through diagnosing diseases and helping with medical equipment, adding, “I am very happy with our business here and in Africa. We'd like to invest in the mindset of Egyptian doctors.” Biomérieux already has 15 research and development centres which affirms the company's commitment to help save people's lives, especially when the world faces viruses and infections like Coronavirus, Mérieux said. Additionally, Sindé Chekete, Biomérieux's vice president for Africa, said the company already has a long history in helping the African continent to fight diseases, noting that Biomérieux is in discussion with the African Union (AU) on how to contribute to its plan to establish a centre for fighting diseases. “Achieving these plans always takes time, yet we'll make sure to contribute the best we can to this centre,” Chekete added. Biomérieux is one of many companies around the world developing medical treatment methods to face the Coronavirus, Chekete mentioned. On Monday alone, some 103 people died in the Chinese Hubei province, a daily record, and the national death toll is now 1,016, according to global media reports.
