What it takes for re-birth of Tanzania’s drug sector

Dr Omary Chillo

What you need to know:

  • On November 13 and 14, during the coming 5th Tanzania Health Summit (THS), stakeholders in the health sector are expected to come up with the answers, how to address the challenges ahead.
  • Since the drug industry has been seen  as not meeting the national demands, it’s time to combine the prowess of our ministers who will attend THS—from both health ad industry—with the researchers’ point of view, plus, of course, the people—the end users.

 

In the mid-90s, pharmaceutical production was Tanzania’s success story, but by the year 2014, various reports indicate that the sector was already in decline.

As years passed, researchers, investors and civil society began pushing for interventions—and by the year 2015, there was a glimmer of hope that efforts would be made to rescue the sector.

But, a stronger force was needed. The sector had to reclaim its “lost glory.” My colleagues usually argued that for the sector to get back on its feet, there was need for strong political will. I couldn’t agree more?

In March this year, the agenda began picking the pace-especially when President John Magufuli publicly said that local pharmaceutical production was part and parcel of his ambition to build an industrialized economy.

The President’s emphasis came at a time of great need for political will and major reforms in the local pharmaceutical sector.

Dr Magufuli indeed spoke with honesty, and, I quote him. “Only 6 per cent of the medicine is produced here [in Tanzania]... why? We must do something..,” he said, as he officiated an event by the Medical Stores Department (MSD) event in Dar es Salaam.

Despite the president’s political will, the road to achieving a well-established local drugs industry requires our collective responsibility. Both the public and private sector.

I have been going through what researchers have suggested, and what our ministries dealing with health and industries have come up with as ways forward—I truly believe we have good starting points. But, honestly, my thirst can be more quenched if we talk more. We need to get to the bottom of how we can exploit the potential that Tanzania is blessed with.

The demand for pharmaceutical production is still high while the local industries we know do not exceed 6, yet Tanzania’s Development Vision for a middle income economy is due by 2025. It’s not far from now.

How can we tap into brains that will help the country achieve this agenda?

Stakeholders—from public and private sector, will on November 13 convene in Dar es Salaam for the 5th Tanzania Health Summit (THS). I consider this the moment to unleash the solutions.

That, we have a president who has shown political will, plus the right knowledge and approaches—when coupled with the growing enthusiasm to invest in local pharmaceutical production, we indeed have where to start from.

During the coming Tanzania Health Summit, we can address the challenges ahead, if we come together as experts from multi-disciplinary sectors and ponder on solutions and best approaches.

Let’s combine the prowess of our ministers who will attend THS—from both health ad industry—with the researchers’ point of view, plus, of course, the people—the end users.

I also like to borrow the point of view of a report in 2016, titled: “Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Decline in Tanzania: How Possible Is a Turnaround to Growth? It actually said, “It requires a change of mind-set for policy makers in Tanzania to turn to prioritizing and actively engaging in selective support of the sector.

I have read in newspapers that until mid this year, over 10 local investors had expressed their intention to put up local drug factories as the government gets set to implement the National Pharmaceutical Sector Strategy which is expected to ease doing for local investors.

When the Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Philip Mpango read the 2018/19 budget in parliament mid this year, I could indeed sense the desire to revamp the sector and the early signs of implementing the pharmaceutical sector strategy.

Last, but not least—and indeed why Tanzania Health Summit (THS) has been organized, lies a question: How can the mutual collaboration between the government and private unleash? Let’s talk.

Dr Chillo is the president of Tanzania Health Summit .