Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has urged African financiers, regulators, and industrialists to take concrete steps towards building a self-sufficient pharmaceutical industry on the continent. He emphasized that Africa's health sovereignty cannot be achieved through government funding alone and called for increased participation by private capital, commercial banks, sovereign funds, and industrial developers. This call to action was made during the Health Plenary of the Alamein Africa Forum in Egypt.
President Mahama stressed the need for the continent to create conditions necessary to attract long-term investment into pharmaceutical manufacturing and healthcare infrastructure. He highlighted initiatives such as Business United for Mothers, Babies, and Youth, which aim to encourage corporate Africa to integrate health investment directly into its capital allocation and business strategies. By doing so, Mahama believes that Africa can move closer to achieving its health sovereignty goals.
The former President also challenged financiers to identify specific incentives and risk-sharing mechanisms they need from governments to deploy patient capital into pharmaceutical manufacturing plants. He asked what de-risking instruments and blended finance structures would be required to facilitate investment. This query was part of his broader appeal for collaboration between governments and businesses to create a sustainable health manufacturing ecosystem.
President Mahama also addressed African regulators, asking how quickly the African Medicines Agency could be fully operationalized to allow a single drug approval to open access to all 54 African Union member states. He argued that harmonizing regulatory processes would significantly reduce barriers facing pharmaceutical companies seeking to operate across multiple African markets. This, he believes, would help create a more conducive environment for investment.
Furthermore, President Mahama challenged industrialists to move beyond basic pharmaceutical packaging and fill-and-finish operations towards full-scale production. He inquired about the strategic partnerships required to enable African manufacturers to begin producing active pharmaceutical ingredients on the continent. According to Mahama, answering these questions would be critical to bringing governments and businesses together.
The former President noted that Africa already possesses the market, human resources, and growing demand required to support a thriving pharmaceutical industry. However, he emphasized that the continent needs stronger coordination, investment, and political commitment to convert these advantages into production capacity. Local pharmaceutical manufacturing, Mahama argued, would improve access to medicines and protect African economies from international supply disruptions.
President Mahama concluded by urging participants at the forum to move beyond declarations and develop a concrete action plan for achieving African health sovereignty. He emphasized that this plan should be actionable and geared towards creating a sustainable health manufacturing ecosystem. By working together, Mahama believes that Africa can make significant strides towards self-sufficiency in pharmaceuticals and improve the health and well-being of its citizens.
Key points
- Former President John Mahama calls for private investment in Africa's pharmaceutical sector to achieve health sovereignty.
- Mahama emphasizes the need for collaboration between governments and businesses to create a sustainable health manufacturing ecosystem.
- The former President urges African regulators to harmonize regulatory processes to reduce barriers facing pharmaceutical companies.
