Ghana's plan to make at least 70% of the medicines it needs at home will depend on prompt health insurance payments, stronger regulation and more industrial pharmacists, the President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Dr Kofi Nsia-Poku, has said.
Ghana and other West African countries import an estimated 70% to 80% of their essential medicines, leaving them exposed when global supply chains break down. Dr Nsia-Poku recalled shortages of basic products such as paracetamol, vitamins and hand sanitiser during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the government's five-year strategy to raise local production to at least 70% of demand needs more than factories. Manufacturers also need raw materials, finance, skilled staff and buyers that pay on time. He named delayed payments by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as a major concern, saying they strain manufacturers' cash flow and can lead to shortages.
He called for dedicated buying arrangements for locally made medicines and prompt NHIS payments. He also warned that river pollution from illegal mining threatens an industry that depends on highly purified water.
Dr Nsia-Poku said the Food and Drugs Authority's World Health Organization Maturity Level 3 status gives Ghanaian medicines a base to reach wider West African markets. He spoke at the annual general meeting of the Ghana Chapter of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists.