Invest in pharma industry, urges MSD

Dar es Salaam. The Medical Stores Department (MSD) met manufacturers and suppliers yesterday.

The aim was to encourage them to set up pharmaceutical factories in line with the government’s industrialisation drive.

Data from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment shows that Tanzania spends over Sh800 billion to import medicines and medical supplies annually.

Local manufacturers are only able to meet only about six per cent of the requirements. “It is important that foreign companies recognise the opportunities that Tanzania offers in the pharmaceutical industry. Demand for medicines is now higher than at any time before, largely due to the growing threat of non-communicable diseases,” MSD director general Laurean Bwanakunu told representatives of 160 suppliers and manufacturers.

He said the government was giving incentives as it announced some tenders for local pharmaceutical companies only.

Manufacturers, however, noted that the shilling depreciation against the dollar was affecting them when importing raw materials.

“Most raw materials are not available in Tanzania and we are forced to import them. This means that we have to use dollars, but the government policy is that we must sell drugs in the local currency. When the local currency loses value against the greenback, we end up losing,” a representative of the Tanzania Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association, Mr Hetal Vithlan, said.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Prof Elisante ole Gabriel, said the country’s policies were supportive to investors, mostly in the health sector.

The meeting attracted 160 manufacturers and suppliers.