ARC at the 44th Annual Scientific Conference and AGM meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia (PSZ) held at Livingstone, 4- 6th June 2025
ARC was invited to sit on a panel discussion on Local Manufacturing of medicines in Zambia, as part of the continent-wide response to the call by the African Union for independence in this industry.
As stated by the PSZ, “Zambia, like many African countries, remains heavily reliant on imported pharmaceutical products to meet national health needs. An estimated 95% of medicines consumed in Africa are imported, while the continent produces just 3% of the global supply of pharmaceuticals (UNCTAD, 2021). This overdependence has exposed Zambia to vulnerabilities in the global supply chain—especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic—resulting in avoidable morbidity, mortality, and supply insecurity.”
Dr Kennedy Lishimpi, Permanent Secretary; Dr Elijah Muchima, Hon Minister of Health, Dr Bonface Fundafunda, Co-CEO, ARC.
ARC’s contribution at the panel was based on our ongoing advisory support on the local manufacturing agenda. In Zambia, we have contributed opinion, advice, technical knowledge, and supported advocacy for access to affordable funds by the private sector as a way to rapidly respond to the call for reliable local manufacturing, through the Zambia Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Initiative (ZPMI). We have also enabled a successful market shaping approach in support of the Government of Kenya (Ministry of Health) which has helped the Government to have a more firm basis for addressing its local manufacturing agenda. Equally, we supported and enabled UNECA to test a pooled procurement arrangement in a group of 10 pilot countries; the out one from that exercise has contributed to the Africa Pooled Procurement Mechanism which led by Africa CDC.
Government of Zambia has taken several industrial- related policies and strategies in this regard, which include:
- Enacting industrial and health-related policies.
- Favorable public procurement policies
- Investment climate reforms
- Setting up the Zambia Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Strategy (2024–2028)
- Strengthening regulatory institutions (ZAMRA, BRRA, ZDA).
- Introducing Framework Contracts to assure procurement predictability.
- Creating economic zones to attract pharmaceutical investors.
- Setting up the Zambia Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Initiative (ZPMI)
- Working with the African Union and its agencies (e.g., COMESA, SADC, Africa CDC) on a continental-wide response for enabling local, regional manufacturing and other initiatives (eg, pooled procurement mechanism)
- Existence of a national quality policy for locally produced goods and services
- Participating in regional initiatives aimed at promoting local and regional pharmaceutical manufacturing namely the SADC Support towards Industrialisation and the Productive Sectors (SIPS) programme and the COMESA Support Towards Regional Pharmaceutical Sector Development
At the panel, we contributed the following facts about the state of Zambia’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector:
- The overarching call from the AU and the Government for self-reliance in the production of medicines and vaccines
- Readiness of local manufacturers to respond to the call for an active local pharmaceutical industry that meets minimum quality standards set by the Government
- Commitment from the Government to support and procure from the local pharmaceutical industry
- Commitment from the Government to ensure the production and marketing of quality assured, locally manufactured medicines by working with regulatory authorities
- Existence of a local and regional market for medicines
- Requirement by local industry for access to affordable financing to enable a response to invest in upgrading local manufacturing capability
Dr Elijah Muchima, Hon. Minister of Health, Zambia
As we have established in other locations across Africa, the need for access to affordable funds to upgrade local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity remains critical in this local manufacturing agenda. Institutions with financing and commitment to this agenda ought to step up and provide pathways to this unique financing. The alternative is that these private pharmaceutical manufacturers will take time to create the necessary funding needed to finance this urgent call.
The Conference was also graced by the Honourable Minister of Health Sr Elijah Muchima, and the Permanent Secretary, Dr Kennedy Lishimpi.
The AGM resolved to have an active partnership with the Government and development partners in the commitment to create transparent, agile, and cost-effective ICT solutions for a resilient procurement and supply chain infrastructure in the public and private health sectors, in response to national expectations for quality-assured pharmaceutical services in the country.
Bonnie Fundafunda
Co-CEO
