Pharma investment boosts self-reliance
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA has attracted pharmaceutical investment that will accelerate the country’s drive towards self-reliance in medicine production. The factories will manufacture a range of essential medicines and medical products, including drugs for HIV prevention, diabetes and hepatitis.
The factories whose construction is expected to commence in September this year and completed within two years will also improve access to life-saving medicines, lowering import costs and strengthening the country’s healthcare security.
Health Minister Mohamed Mchengerwa said on Monday that China’s Africare Biopharma Ltd and Hualan Ankang Biologics Inc will establish pharmaceutical manufacturing plants at Kurasini in Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo in Coast Region.
The investment comes as Tanzania seeks to reduce its reliance on imported medicines and medical equipment, on which it spends more than 1 billion US dollars (over 2.6tri/-) annually, according to the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA). The country currently imports more than 80 per cent of its medicines and medical equipment.
Mr Mchengerwa said the investment reflects growing confidence in Tanzania’s favourable business environment and the government’s commitment to building a competitive pharmaceutical industry in line with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s vision.
“We are ready, as the Ministry of Health, to work closely with committed investors and resolve any challenges they may encounter to ensure President Samia’s vision of building a self-reliant pharmaceutical industry becomes a reality,” he said.
He said the government aims to ensure at least 65 per cent of medical equipment used in the country is produced locally by next year, while more than 65 per cent of medicines consumed in Tanzania will be manufactured domestically by 2030.
Deputy General Manager of Hualan Ankang Biologics Inc, Mr Ray Liu, said Tanzania’s stable policies and investor-friendly environment influenced the company’s decision to establish operations in the country.
He said the company is committed to completing the investment within two years and supporting Tanzania’s ambition to become a regional pharmaceutical manufacturing hub.
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The investment adds momentum to the development of the Mloganzila Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Hub, which has strengthened Tanzania’s position as an attractive destination for pharmaceutical investment.
Deputy Permanent Secretary responsible for Medicines and Medical Equipment, Mr Emmanuel Tayari said several investors have already started implementing projects at the Mloganzila industrial area, while others, including a Chinese company listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, have expressed interest in manufacturing generic medicines in Tanzania.
He said the Pharmaceutical Investment Acceleration Task Force continues to support investors through technical guidance, fast-tracked approvals and an improved business environment.
Mr Tayari added that Tanzania’s strategic location and preferential access to the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) markets position the country to serve regional demand, reinforcing its ambition to become a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing hub.
The government is implementing an ambitious strategy to reduce dependence on imported medicines and medical equipment by 85 per cent by 2030, a move expected to strengthen healthcare security, save foreign exchange and expand local industrial capacity.
