Generic medicine manufacturers have a major opportunity to help address Africa’s long-standing medicine shortages as demand for treatment of both infectious and non-communicable diseases continues to rise, a new report has found.
The report by the Access to Medicine Foundation says pharmaceutical companies are responding to the continent’s changing health needs by expanding their medicine portfolios, improving supply chains and investing in local manufacturing.
However, it warns that fragmented markets, unpredictable demand, limited financing and different regulatory requirements across countries continue to make it difficult for manufacturers to expand into underserved markets.
Africa’s disease burden is also changing. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer, are taking up a growing share of health needs, while infectious diseases and maternal health conditions remain major challenges.
The report highlights significant gaps in access to essential medicines across the continent. It says only about half of people living with type 1 diabetes in Africa have reliable access to insulin, while fragmented procurement systems continue to affect the availability of medicines used to treat cardiovascular diseases.
The situation could become even more urgent, with NCDs projected to become the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa within the next five years.
The study examined the strategies of eight generic medicine manufacturers: Aspen Pharmacare, Cipla, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries, EVA Pharma, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Sothema, Universal Corporation Ltd and Viatris.
According to the report, the companies are taking different approaches to deal with changing demand and supply challenges.
Some manufacturers are investing in the local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, while others are diversifying their suppliers where producing locally is not yet practical.
Others are seeking longer-term supply agreements to create greater certainty around demand and allow for better production planning.
Several companies are also expanding into areas linked to the growing burden of NCDs, particularly cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, while continuing to produce medicines for infectious diseases and maternal health.
Despite these efforts, manufacturers still face challenges when entering some therapeutic areas because of uncertain demand, fragmented markets and complex production requirements.
The report also points to the growing role of partnerships involving technology transfer, regulatory support and local production.
Such partnerships could help strengthen Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing base, but the foundation says their long-term success will depend on whether they allow local companies to build greater technical and commercial independence.
The report stresses that pharmaceutical companies cannot solve Africa’s medicine supply problems on their own.
It calls for stronger cooperation between governments, manufacturers, regulators, procurement agencies, development finance institutions and global health organisations to create more predictable markets and encourage investment in pharmaceutical production.
Among the recommendations are better forecasting of future medicine demand, coordinated procurement, more affordable and predictable medicine supply, harmonised regulatory requirements and fewer administrative barriers that can delay the introduction of medicines into markets.
The foundation also calls for investment to be directed towards areas where gaps in manufacturing capacity and medicine supply are greatest.
Claudia Martínez, Director of Research at the Access to Medicine Foundation, said manufacturers were making progress but needed wider support to ensure medicine supply could grow sustainably.
“Africa’s healthcare needs are evolving, and manufacturers across the ecosystem will play an important role in determining whether medicine supply evolves alongside them,” Martínez said.
She added that coordinated action would be needed to ensure affordable medicines consistently reach patients at scale.
The foundation says stronger regional trade integration, harmonised regulations and increased investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing could create better conditions for generic medicine manufacturers to expand across African markets.
The report presents Africa’s pharmaceutical challenge not only as an issue of access, but also as an opportunity to strengthen local and regional production of essential medicines.
