Aventa TT: Boosting Trinidad and Tobago's health ecosystem

SUPPLYING pharmacies, hospitals and groceries throughout the country, Aventa TT stands as a major player in the local pharmaceutical space.

Speaking with Business Day on July 8 at the company's head office in El Socorro, Aventa Group CEO James Walker said it continues to navigate the global market while sustaining the local landscape.

"We’re part of the health ecosystem and there are so many players in it – the buyer, the regulator, the government, private trade with the pharmacies, the NGOs and there’s also the medical community. It’s not just doctors but also vets and dentists. There’s a wide stakeholder set and we have touchpoints across all those people and have relationships with all of them."

Walker said Aventa TT takes a multi-stakeholder approach that keeps the consumer in mind as the company aims to advance the health of consumers across the region.

Aventa TT, as a subsidiary of Agostini Ltd (AGL), welcomed the share-swap offer by AGL to acquire 100 per cent of Prestige Holdings Ltd (PHL) shares.

Walker said he expects to see an improvement in Agostini’s financial position.

"It’s a very different industry, but there are synergies that could be achieved in that regard, and hopefully we can see some cost improvement."

Walker, however, cautioned that operating within an uncertain global landscape marked by geopolitical tensions poses a challenge for all industries.

Speaking more on the ever-changing global market, Aventa TT pharmaceutical division head Rodney Balroop said, "We have to appreciate that there’s a lot of global development that happened in the last ten years.

"So you tend to have disruption in the supply chain and that’s not necessarily only for the finished product.

"In the past, there was an issue with just getting the foil used as the backing for some medications and suppliers couldn't find anyone to provide that because of the Ukraine war."

He said the covid19 pandemic placed smaller markets like South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, at a disadvantage because the high demand from larger market countries caused inevitable shortages.

Baliram said that despite being able to manage localised outbreaks, the use of global manufacturing companies to supply products does leave them susceptible to international events.

"We do have to recognise that you can’t have contingency plans for all instances, but based on the volume we have right now and because we are a regional company, we could feed off the synergies for the region as well so that gives us some strength in managing these types of situations."

Added to a strong regional network, Aventa TT’s processing standards also go a long way in optimising the company’s operations.

Refrigerated warehouses with built-in temperature monitoring and controls ensure medication is stored at the optimal temperature to ensure product preservation upon delivery.

Serving the nation, Aventa TT’s warehouse operates 24/7 as staff work to co-ordinate thousands of daily orders of various sizes and even emergency deliveries to hospitals.