Former Ghanaian President John Mahama and World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus have strongly urged African leaders to significantly increase local pharmaceutical production. This push aims to reduce the continent's heavy reliance on imported medicines and medical products, a vulnerability exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Africa currently imports around 70% of its medicines, over 90% of its medical devices, and more than 99% of its vaccines. This dependence creates significant health security risks, particularly as international funding for health initiatives begins to decline. Strengthening domestic manufacturing is seen as a critical step towards achieving health sovereignty and ensuring sustained progress against diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
This initiative aligns with broader efforts to bolster Africa's economic resilience and self-sufficiency. The continent's reliance on external suppliers for essential health products has long been a point of concern, impacting public health outcomes and economic stability. Investing in local production not only secures supply chains but also creates jobs and fosters technological advancement within African economies.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that Africa risks losing decades of progress in tackling major diseases unless governments increase domestic investment. He highlighted that new HIV infections have decreased by 40% since 2010, but these gains are threatened by declining external funding. He emphasized that strong health systems are essential to protect every person on the continent.
President Mahama underscored the bitter lesson learned during the COVID-19 pandemic when Africa struggled to access vaccines and medical supplies. He noted that the continent is now beginning to reverse this trend through growing investments in local pharmaceutical and vaccine production. Initiatives like vaccine production in Dakar, mRNA science advancements in Cape Town, and new biological facilities in Kigali demonstrate this progress.
The call for increased local production is part of a larger strategy to address underlying factors contributing to poor health outcomes, including conflict, poverty, and inadequate education. Dr. Tedros stressed that responding to diseases alone is insufficient; African countries must also tackle these systemic issues. He reaffirmed WHO's commitment to providing technical expertise but insisted that lasting progress requires political leadership and increased domestic financing.
President Mahama also reminded African leaders of the Abuja Declaration, a 25-year-old commitment to allocate 15% of national budgets to health. He urged governments to ensure that health spending remains protected regardless of political changes and to involve finance ministries in health planning. Continental initiatives, such as joint procurement and a strategy for active pharmaceutical ingredients, are also progressing to strengthen Africa's pharmaceutical manufacturing industry and create jobs for young people.
The establishment of a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant for Africa is no longer just a concept, with significant progress being made. The African Medicines Agency is also transitioning from a treaty to a working instrument, further supporting the continent's health independence goals. These developments are crucial for building resilient health value chains, including factories and laboratories, which will provide dignified work opportunities across Africa.