ALGIERS: TANZANIA has expressed readiness to collaborate with other African countries to reduce reliance on imported health commodities and position itself as a key regional player in the manufacture of quality medical products.
Speaking yesterday at the Ministers’ High-Level Meeting on Local Production of Medicines and Health Technologies in Africa in Algiers, Minister for Health Mohamed Mchengerwa said the country is committed to achieving the goal.
Minister Mchengerwa said that, alongside advancing the historic implementation of Universal Health Insurance for all Tanzanians as part of his first 100-day agenda, several measures have already been taken to boost pharmaceutical production in the country.
The steps include the formation of a dedicated and high-powered Pharmaceutical Investment Acceleration Task Force within the Ministry of Health. The task force is mandated to remove bottlenecks, attract worldclass manufacturers, unlock investment and position Tanzania as a strategic pharmaceutical hub for Africa.
He said for too long, Africa’s health systems have depended excessively on imports medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and technologies with COVID-19 recapped how the continent vulnerable is with dependency urging African countries to embark on self-reliance, innovation and African capacity.
“Tanzania is open, prepared and strategically positioned for largescale pharmaceutical and healthtechnology investments,” said Mr Mchengerwa.
He said that, Tanzania has demonstrated how it can host and sustain a world class pharmaceutical manufacturing as the country’s medical regulatory agency (Tanzania Medical and Drug Authority –TMDA) has already achieved a World Health Organisation (WHO) Maturity Level 3 and being the first nation in the continent.
Mr Mchengerwa said that through its Medical Store Department (MSD) and TMDA the country stands ready to become the regional hub for high-quality health product manufacturing as through the agency a new Pharmaceutical Investment Acceleration Task Force has been formed.
He challenged the African states presents to align with the continental framework for Strengthening Local Production of Medicines, Vaccines and Health Technologies (2025–2035) as endorsed by African Ministers of Health in Brazzaville by August 2024.
Mr Mchengerwa said that by doing so they can fulfil the continental framework which challenges the countries to achieve 55 per cent of medicines produced within Africa, 50 per cent of vaccines manufactured on the continent, 15 countries reaching regulatory Maturity Level 3, thousands of skilled professionals in pharmaceutical manufacturing and regional procurement mechanisms guaranteeing demand.
“These targets are ambitious but Africa has never lacked ambition. What we require is coordinated leadership. We must confront a hard truth if we continue acting as 55 separate markets, we will continue importing 99 per cent of our vaccines. Our strength will come from harmonisation, pooled procurement and shared industrial planning,” he said.
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He said the move will create jobs, reduce foreign expenditure and ensure that Africa never again stands at the end of the global queue during crises.
“Let this meeting be remembered as the moment Africa decided to rise, to build and to believe in its own capacity the moment we stopped importing our future and started manufacturing it, “he said.