The recent launch by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) of a Pharmaceutical Business Plan will encourage active private sector participation through trade and industrialisation.
That’s according to senior programme officer for health and pharmaceuticals at the SADC Secretariat, Joseph Mthetwa, who said that the business plan aimed to promote research and production of generics and strengthen regulatory capacity and supply chain management systems.
“The SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan recognises that pharmaceutical manufacturing provides new dimensions and opportunities for growth – either in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) or finished products in the region,” he said. Chairperson of the Southern African Generic Medicines Association (Sagma), Gertrude Mothibe, said SADC’s regional pharmaceutical use was estimated at more than US$3bn per annum, with 50% of the essential pharmaceutical products imported from outside of Africa.
She said that as an economic bloc, SADC had trade policies that allowed free trade amongst members and she urged member states to work together to benefit from the trade strengths of other members. “There is a sizeable local market for the medicines, there are good ports in the region, and a strong transport logistics infrastructure to inland countries, allowing for raw materials to be imported and finished goods to be exported,” said Mothibe.
African Development Bank (AfDB) executive vice president in charge of business development and corporate banking, Amr Kamel, said countries should develop manufacturing capabilities in pharmaceuticals and reduce the level of import of equipment and medicines in order to conserve foreign exchange, pointing out that the bank was committed to supporting the development of Africa’s pharmaceutical industry.
“Afreximbank is determined to continue implementing its health and medical tourism programme to help pave the way for investors and partners to develop the pharmaceutical industry in Africa,” said Kamel.
