Zimbabwe spends more than US$400 million annually in importing medical drugs, a deputy director in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Dayford Nhema has said.

Speaking at the launch of a local pharmaceutical firm Sapps Pharmaceuticals, Nhema said the bill for importing drugs was too high. He said:

In terms of imports of pharmaceutical products, Zimbabwe spends over US$400 million annually on imported drugs, estimated at almost 90%.

The importation process, coupled with transport costs, results in our citizens bearing the brand of expensive healthcare products.

Nhema said it was important to capacitate the local industry to help the country save foreign currency. He said:

The government is implementing the duty-free importation of pharmaceutical ingredients.

We are also implementing the local content strategy with the ultimate objective of seeing increased productivity in the pharmaceuticals sub-sector.

Sapps Pharmaceuticals was licensed by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) in November 2021 and started manufacturing drugs last year becoming the 10th player in the manufacturing of medicine locally.

Its founder, Kudzai Hove, said that he started the company out of frustration as patients would come in need of medicines but they could not afford them.

Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association chairman Emmanuel Mujuru appeal for financial support for the industry.

More: Pindula News