Experts call for African unity to produce drugs and vaccines
Experts at an IGAD meeting in Mombasa are calling for African nations to unify their pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities to reduce reliance on imports. Currently, the continent imports 80% of its medicines and 99% of its vaccines, creating significant vulnerability during health crises.
Why it matters
Increasing local pharmaceutical production is critical for African health security and economic independence.
Delegates at IGAD’s Community of Practice (COP) on Local Health Manufacturing meeting in Mombasa on Wednesday / BRIAN OTIENO World Bank representative Ramesh Govindaraj at IGAD’s Community of Practice (COP) on Local Health Manufacturing meeting in Mombasa on Wednesday / BRIAN OTIENO The Community of Practice (COP) on Local Health Manufacturing chair Stephen Njuguna at the IGAD meeting in Mombasa on Wednesday / BRIAN OTIENO Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:107%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
African countries must break down trade barriers and pool resources together to build a strong regional pharmaceutical industry for the continent to reduce its heavy dependence on imported medicines and vaccines.
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