Government committed to boosting local drug manufacturing
Minister of Trade and Industry, Sosten Gwengwe, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to bolstering local manufacturing amidst the pharmaceutical industry’s challenges.
As only a few pharmaceutical companies remain active in Malawi, Gwengwe stressed the importance of focusing on local manufacturers to drive the country’s progress per the Malawi Vision 2063 agenda.
Gwengwe highlighted the need to stop relying on imported medicines like Aspirin or Panado, urging the nation to build a stronger pharmaceutical sector.
“Once we strengthen our local market, the industry will grow significantly. One day, we should be talking about Malawi producing its vaccines,” he remarked, emphasizing that the pharmaceutical industry cannot be overlooked in Malawi’s developmental goals.
He further pointed to the Buy Malawi Strategy (BMS), specifically its pharmaceutical chapter, as a tool to encourage local production.
The strategy includes guidelines on procuring medicines locally, which could energize the country’s medicine producers.
“We used to have six vibrant producers, but now only two or three remain. We need to reverse this trend by promoting local manufacturing,” Gwengwe stated, calling on government institutions and stakeholders to support the industry’s growth.
Pharmanova Malawi Limited’s Quality Assurance Manager, Tawanda Musasa, praised the government’s efforts, expressing optimism for the future of local pharmaceutical production.
He noted that with the right support, the industry could significantly contribute to job creation. “Our facility can produce 4.4 billion tablets, 207 million capsules, 27 million sachets of dry powder, and 11 million units of liquid orals annually,” Musasa added.
With collaborative efforts and sustained government backing, the pharmaceutical industry in Malawi is poised to become a cornerstone of national development, moving closer to the vision of self-reliance outlined in Malawi Vision 2063.