From the newsletter
Africa could strengthen its climate health resilience by scaling up local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, according to a new paper in the Nature journal. The study argues that manufacturing in smaller factories instead of big costly ones, offers a practical solution to ensuring access to essential medicines during crises.
The continent currently faces a stark imbalance. Africa carries 26% of the world’s disease burden but produces only 3% of its medicines, importing more than 95% of pharmaceutical ingredients.
Local pharmaceutical manufacturing strengthens climate health by securing medicine supplies during climate-driven disruptions, cutting import emissions, and building resilient health systems to address rising heat, disease, and food insecurity risks.
More details
The author, Cloudius Ray Sagandira of South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, argues that domestic production could cut costs, reduce import reliance and secure supplies of essential drugs. He notes that delays during the coronavirus pandemic exposed fragile supply chains. “By manufacturing ingredients locally, African nations can ensure a consistent supply of medicines even during global disruptions,” Sagandira writes.
The paper emphasises agile manufacturing, an approach already used in technology and automotive industries. Unlike large traditional pharmaceutical plants, agile systems use compact, modular units that are cheaper to establish and can be scaled quickly. South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is developing the FuturePHARMA facility to provide shared infrastructure that reduces risk for pharmaceutical companies. The facility is intended to improve health sovereignty and lower costs through flexible production.
International investment is helping build momentum. In 2020, the European Investment Bank launched a programme worth $55 million to support African pharmaceutical capacity. Partnerships with organisations such as the Global Fund are also backing the sector. In South Africa, Aspen Pharmacare and its subsidiaries are producing ingredients for essential medicines, while Nigeria’s Emzor Pharmaceuticals and Kenya’s public-private initiatives are testing similar models.
Regional policy shifts are also driving the agenda. A 2021 World Health Organization resolution on strengthening local production, alongside the African Union’s Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan, has created political momentum. Research institutions including Nelson Mandela University and the University of Pretoria are working on process innovations to reduce costs and improve competitiveness.
However, the paper identifies significant hurdles. Establishing facilities that meet Good Manufacturing Practice standards requires heavy investment, and reliable electricity remains a challenge. A shortage of skilled workers is another barrier, although training programmes backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Germany’s development bank are beginning to address the gap.
Africa currently imports more than 95% of its pharmaceutical ingredients, leaving it exposed to global supply shocks, donor funding cuts and rising costs. The coronavirus pandemic showed how quickly shortages and delays can disrupt treatment. This dependence drives up prices and undermines access to essential medicines, making local health systems vulnerable in times of crisis.
Our take
Africa does not need to replicate expensive Western-style mega plants to build its pharmaceutical future. Instead, modular and flexible facilities offer a faster, cheaper route to scale up production of active ingredients, vaccines and finished medicines.
These agile systems can be adapted to different disease burdens and market sizes, lowering entry barriers for local companies. By reducing reliance on imports and enabling rapid response to health emergencies, agile manufacturing positions African pharmaceutical industries to compete globally while strengthening resilience at home.