Local pharmaceutical producers have appealed to government to ban the importation of liquid medicines such as cough syrups, antacids and blood tonics which can be produced locally.
Dr. Michael Agyekum Addo, CEO of Mikaddo Pharmacy and a member of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Association of Ghana (PMAG) believes that banning liquid medicines will help to grow the industry and provide employment to thousands of Ghanaian youth.
 “I am a manufacturer of medicine and I don’t understand why liquid medicines are imported. Liquid products are made up of about 95 percent water--- that’s what they contain. Antacids, cough syrups should be banned from importation.
The Local manufacturers can cope with it. So we want a policy away from just open door system, trade liberalization to a more restricted system so that the local manufacturers can employ more people and it will boost the local pharmaceutical industry,†he told the B&FT on the sidelines of the pre-launch of Mikaddo Pharmacy, formerly called Kama Health Services.
The latest Oxford Business Group report shows that although more than 75percent of pharmaceutical companies in Ghana are locally owned, only 30percernt of the market is covered by local production, with the bulk of drugs imported from India and China.
The local pharmaceutical industry, despite the huge potential, is confronted with a myriad of challenges ranging from the National Health Insurance Authority’s (NHIA) inability to pay monies owed local producers as well as the lack of credit at sound interest rates.
Notwithstanding, Dr. Addo is upbeat that the Akufo-Addo-led government will address the issue of nonpayment from the NHIA saying: “It is not an issue to me because I see my job as a service to mankind. The NHIA owes me nearly GH¢2 million but I will still serve, I want to serve my people and I don’t consider the challenges that come along. There is a new government in place and our hope is that it will address some of these challenges,†he said.
Yaw Opare-Asamoah, Managing Director of Dannex Limited---another local pharmaceutical manufacturer, told the B&FT in an earlier interview that the NHIA’s indebtedness was the greatest challenge facing drug supply, and needs to be addressed within the earliest possible time.
“The National Health Insurance Authority’s debt is one of the major challenges facing drug supply in Ghana. They owe suppliers between GH¢900m and GH¢1.2billion. If there is no solution to this, it could cripple the industry and affect drug supply.
Payments which were due in the second quarter of last year are still outstanding, and we take money from the banks to work, so if they owe us for more than about a year, it is very worryingâ€, he further lamented,†Mr. Opare-Asamoah said. Â
The launch of Mikaddo Pharmacy, under the name Mikaddo Holdings Limited, is part of rebranding efforts from Kama Health Services, which went into a merger with Aspen Group of South Africa in 2015.
Source: Business and Financial Times Ghana