Mahama calls for removal of barriers to boost Africa’s pharmaceutical industry

President John Dramani Mahama has urged the elimination of regulatory and financial obstacles that impede the growth of Africa's pharmaceutical and healthcare value chains. Mahama emphasized that African health improvements cannot be realized through individual country efforts, but rather through coordinated markets, regulations, investment strategies, and industrial capacities across the continent.

He stressed the need for seamless movement of health products across borders and market access for manufacturers beyond their home countries. "To transform these disjointed successes into a comprehensive continental system, we must remove regulatory and financial barriers," Mahama stated.

He highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area as a key framework for establishing a broader market for African pharmaceutical companies and stimulating investment in production. Mahama announced that Ghana is establishing specialized task forces and the Accra Reset Presidential Council's Reform Interlock Observatory to monitor capital flows, enforce policy adherence, and identify non-tariff barriers impacting regional value chains.

These measures aim to ensure that political promises lead to tangible opportunities for businesses and investors. He urged African regulatory bodies to expedite the establishment of the African Medicines Agency, asking how soon it can be operationalized so that drug approval in one AU member state grants access across all 54 states.

Mahama emphasized that regulatory harmonization is crucial for creating a unified continental pharmaceutical market and securing the substantial investment necessary to develop robust African industries.