Zivanai Dhewa

Government through the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has pledged to support the local pharmaceutical companies in the production of medicines especially ARVs.

Speaking during an oral interview before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health, Permanent Secretary, Dr Marvis Sibanda revealed the level of support that Government will give to the pharmaceutical industry.

“The Ministry recently launched the Pharmaceutical strategy for Zimbabwe (2021-2025). The strategy was formulated after realising that the sector is contributing low quantities to the consumers locally as they are producing old molecules which are not on demand.

“The strategy targets to increase market share of local Pharmaceutical products from 12% to 35%, to increase local production of essential medicines from 30% to 60%, to increase sales revenue of local production from US$31.5million to US$150 million and to improve exports of Pharmaceutical products from 10% to 25% by 2025,” said Dr Sibanda.

She further said that following a visit by Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care, Rtd General, Dr Costantino Chiwenga, on 10 June 2021, Government engaged Varichem Pharmaceuticals with a view to resuscitating local manufacturing of ARVs.

Pharmaceutical value chain is one of the areas prioritised by Government under the National Development Strategy (NDS1). There are currently nine companies which manufacture pharmaceuticals, while eight are involved in the formulation of human medicines.

The pharmaceutical market size of Zimbabwe is estimated to be US$244.5million, and the local manufacturers produce only US$31.5 million worth of products, while the rest is imported.