South Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing ambitions will depend on resolving fundamental challenges around affordability, scale, procurement and regulatory coordination.
This was the overarching sentiment expressed during Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies’ (TIPS’s) Development Dialogue discussion titled “The socioeconomic realities of localising pharmaceutical production”, on June 17.
This discussion brought together representatives from government, industry and researchers to examine whether increased local pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing can be achieved while maintaining affordable access to healthcare.
Opening the dialogue, Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) advanced manufacturing director Swasthi Soomaroo noted that the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed weaknesses in global supply chains and highlighted the risks associated with Africa’s dependence on imported medicines.
Recalling the difficulties experienced during the pandemic, she said South Africa struggled to access basic medicines when India restricted exports.
