By Francis Ntow, GNA
Accra, Oct. 28, GNA – Ghana has launched a National Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Policy to increase local medicine production, reduce import dependence and cut the annual pharmaceutical import bill.
The policy seeks to raise the share of locally manufactured medicines from 30 to 60 per cent within five years by attracting investment, expanding production capacity and improving market access.
Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, who launched the policy in Accra on Wednesday, said it provided a coordinated framework to address key challenges across the pharmaceutical value chain.
The policy, which received Cabinet approval in July 2026, aims to strengthen the domestic supply chain, attract investment, support local manufacturers and improve access to affordable medicines.
It also seeks to facilitate access to affordable capital through partnerships with financial institutions to help manufacturers establish, expand and modernise their operations and compete internationally.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare identified four major challenges the policy would address: the high cost of imported raw materials and active pharmaceutical ingredients, dependence on imported finished medicines, limited product range and manufacturing capacity, and inadequate technology transfer and vulnerability to global supply disruptions.
She said Ghana currently produced about 30 per cent of its medicine needs locally, supplemented by a small share from other countries in the sub-region, while relying almost entirely on imports for active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The minister said the policy was designed to cut the estimated US$14 billion annual foreign exchange bill borne by Ghana and neighbouring African countries through a coordinated multi-sectoral approach.
“Medicines are not ordinary goods – their availability is a matter of health security and economic survival. What has been missing is a coordinated framework that attracts investment and guarantees market access – that is exactly what this policy provides,” she said.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said the initiative aligned with President John Dramani Mahama’s national objective of doubling the share of locally manufactured medicines in the domestic market from 30 to 60 per cent through increased production and competitiveness.
She said the government, as the largest purchaser of medicines through public procurement and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), would use its purchasing power to create market opportunities and establish standards for local manufacturers.
To support implementation, she said the Ministry had established a committee comprising the Ministries of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Health and Finance, as well as the Food and Drugs Authority, National Vaccine Institute and National Health Insurance Authority.
The committee would monitor progress and submit monthly reports.
Dr Lucia Addae, an executive member of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana, said the policy would provide direction for the industry and support the country’s transition from a major consumer of medicines to a producer.
She said local manufacturers already produced tablets, capsules and syrups and were ready to expand into other parts of the value chain, including active pharmaceutical ingredients.
However, Dr Addae called for affordable long-term financing and a supportive business environment to facilitate expansion.
“Our biggest challenge has been affordable financing – we need long-term financing at single-digit rates. That is fundamental for the kind of investment needed to expand production and move from consumers to producers,” she said.
Dr Bernice Makafui Brempong, Senior Executive in charge of Investments in Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals at the Office of the President, said the policy would address industry needs, including infrastructure, skills development, market access and industrial parks.
She expressed optimism that effective implementation would strengthen medicine security, create jobs, conserve foreign exchange and improve access to quality, affordable medicines.
Dr Brempong, who is also the Presidential Coordinator for the Ghana Pharmaceutical Hub, said the second phase of the hub would focus on regional production of vaccines, active pharmaceutical ingredients, plant-based medicines, raw materials and packaging materials.
She commended the Trade Minister for advancing the policy, which she said had taken six years to reach the launch stage.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Francis Ntow
Email: [email protected]