Supplying Medicines and Supplements to Suriname
A practical guide for Surinamese importers, distributors and hospital buyers who source from abroad, and for manufacturers and exporters worldwide selling into Suriname.
This page in other languages: English · Nederlands
Suriname is Dutch-speaking and a CARICOM member, so it can use the Caribbean regional system. Medicines are registered by the medicines registration committee, an independent committee of the Ministry of Health.
BGVS, the state-owned company that imports, manufactures and distributes medicines, is the main public channel. Don't mistake it for the regulator.
Suriname at a glance
| Regulator | The medicines registration committee (Registratiecommissie) of the Ministry of Health |
|---|---|
| Import licence | Medicines need registration and an import licence from the import and export licensing office (IUD) |
| Public channel | BGVS, the state-owned company that imports, manufactures and distributes medicines |
| Language | Dutch; labels and documents may need Dutch versions |
| Regional route | Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS) recommendations |
How to supply medicines to Suriname
- Find a Surinamese partner. A local importer files the registration with the committee and applies for the import licence.
- Prepare the dossier. A CTD dossier with a CoPP and the plant's GMP evidence.
- Use the regional route. If the product is approved by a stringent regulator or WHO-prequalified, a recommendation from the Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS), run by CARPHA, can support registration across CARICOM.
- Supply. Private pharmacies and distributors through your partner, or BGVS for the public sector.
For a medicine not registered in Suriname, ask your importer whether a special import is possible for your case. See named-patient and special import and government tender supply.
Supplements
Confirm with the medicines registration committee whether your supplement needs registration, and with the IUD whether it needs an import licence. We help brands get supplements made under their own label by GMP-certified contract manufacturers: see nutraceutical private label.
What people in Suriname search for
Semrush has no data for Suriname, but Google Keyword Planner shows people there searching in Dutch and English: “apotheek” (pharmacy) gets between 1,000 and 10,000 searches a month, and “vitamine D”, “vitamine C”, “vitamine B12”, “creatine”, “magnesium” and “omega 3” between 100 and 1,000. Medicines are typed by generic name in the same range, such as “amoxicilline”, “metformine”, “metronidazol” and “enalapril”.
How importers and distributors in Suriname search
The only trade-related phrase that shows up is “geneesmiddelen registratie” (medicine registration), and only weakly, at 10 to 100 searches a month (Google Keyword Planner).
Supplements we can help you make
Public supply covers a wide range of essential medicines. Some examples we list:
Documents to ask your supplier for
- A Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product (CoPP) in WHO format.
- The plant's GMP evidence, such as a WHO-GMP, EU-GMP or PIC/S certificate, plus any inspection by your regulator.
- The registration dossier (CTD or ACTD), with bioequivalence data for generics where required.
- Stability data for hot climates.
- A Certificate of Analysis for every batch.
Not sure a supplier is genuine? Read how to verify a pharmaceutical supplier. For the neighbouring markets, see our Latin America and Caribbean import guide.
Sourcing for Suriname?
Send the product, strength, quantity and the documents your regulator needs. We will match you with GMP-certified manufacturers and suppliers who can serve your market, wherever they are based.
Send your requirement Talk to our team