The Algerian Ministry of Industry and Pharmaceutical Production’s Secretary-General, Zerifa Khoudir, has called for the establishment of an African partnership in the pharmaceutical industry through investment in economic integration. This call was made during the opening ceremony of the second edition of the “Kenya Expo 2023” international health fair in the Malian capital, Bamako. African Pharmaceutical Industry Partnership
Representing the Minister of Industry and Pharmaceutical Production, Ali Aoun, the official urged Algerian pharmaceutical operators to embody a true partnership between African countries through productive investments within an economic integration framework. The aim is to realize a continental pharmaceutical industry that ensures health and pharmaceutical sovereignty in Africa.
In her speech, Khoudir reflected on the COVID-19 pandemic, which she considered a learning opportunity, especially as it “highlighted the shortcomings and constraints in our health systems.” She stressed the need to establish a genuine continental pharmaceutical industry to ensure healthcare for all citizens.
Additionally, Khoudir emphasized the “necessity of adopting a cooperative and coordinated approach among African countries, through the creation of specialized industrial hubs and the joint development of medicines, particularly those aimed at treating diseases prevalent in the continent.”
The Secretary-General also underscored the importance of “activating the African Medicines Agency to strengthen and develop the African pharmaceutical industry, contributing to the challenge of achieving continental health sovereignty.”
