Ghana plans local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients to cut drug imports
Ghana is planning to develop local capacity to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), the key components responsible for the therapeutic effects of medicines, as part of efforts to reduce dependence on imported drugs.
Ghana intends to establish local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to lessen reliance on foreign-drug imports. Presidential Adviser Augustus Goosie Tanoh emphasized the significance of developing a domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing sector to achieve healthcare sovereignty and better fulfill healthcare requirements.
At the Africa Bio Conference on October 27, Tanoh noted that roughly 70% of medicines in Ghana currently come from abroad, with local manufacturers also heavily depending on international suppliers for raw materials. He stressed that Ghana must shift focus from creating finished medicines to producing the active components essential for their creation.
Tanoh announced that a proposed 2,000-acre Legon Pharmaceutical Innovation Park, part of the 24-Hour Economy Programme and in collaboration with Zeme Biohub Limited, will facilitate pharmaceutical manufacturing, research, diagnostics, and medical-device production. The facility aims to create opportunities for researchers and startups to transform their innovations into commercially viable products.
Tanoh stressed the necessity of enhanced collaboration among researchers, investors, and regulators to guarantee that locally manufactured medicines meet the necessary safety, quality, and efficacy standards. He also called for prioritizing medicines for diabetes and other non-communicable diseases, which account for a substantial number of fatalities in Ghana.
Sena Institute of Technology President and Zeme Biohub CEO acknowledged that inadequate infrastructure and funding pose significant challenges to Ghana's biotechnology industry. Many innovations developed by local researchers remain confined to laboratories and have not reached the market. The biotechnology hub, he explained, aims to bridge the gap between research and commercial production by providing infrastructure to support innovation, generate jobs, and facilitate the market entry of locally developed technologies.
The initiative is expected to enhance technology accessibility and enable Ghanaian innovators to commercialize their products within the country.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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