Paul Nyakazeya, Group Digital Editor 
THE government is focusing on boosting local production of pharmaceutical products to reduce over-reliance on imports and create employment, a cabinet minister said.
Speaking during a webinar hosted by The Financial Gazette last week under the theme “Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Strategy for Zimbabwe (2021-2025) ― Opportunities for Investors”, Industry minister Sekai Nzenza, pictured, said increasing local production in the sector is one of the government’s main priorities for the next four years.
“The pharmaceutical strategy for Zimbabwe came at the right time because it coincides with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), where we are focusing as a government on domestication of local products,” she said.
Industry and Commerce minister Sekai Nzenza
“The strategy we have adopted focuses on six key areas whose target should have been achieved by 2025. That is to increase market share of local pharmaceutical products from 12 to 35 percent by 2025. To increase local production of essential medicines from 30 to 60 percent by 2025. To increase sales revenue of local production from $31,5 million to $150 million.
“To increase new local registration from five to 20 percent, to improve compliance to good manufacturing practices to at least four companies. Finally, to increase exports of pharmaceutical products from 10 to 25 percent,” she said.
The minister highlighted that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on global medical consumables supply chains required localisation of production of pharmaceutical products to ensure that the local market was adequately supplied.
Zimbabwe’s pharmaceutical market size is estimated at $224,5 million. The main components of the market are imported medicines and donated medicines, which are also imported, and locally produced medicines.
As part of the implementation of the four-year strategy, Nzenza said government institutions and hospitals will be encouraged to buy drugs from local manufacturers to boost production.
“Exports of pharmaceutical products constituted about US$3 million in 2019, this shows green shoots of activity within the sector, which will be consolidated by the recently launched pharmaceutical strategy,” she said.
The strategy is anchored on a collaborative approach with line parastatals, stakeholders and the private sector to achieve, through competitiveness, availability and affordability of locally manufactured medicine.
The minister noted that the pharmaceutical sector is facing several challenges such as lack of financial resources, antiquated equipment, cumbersome registration process and limited innovation.
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