ONE of the greatest lessons that COVID-19 taught us is the need to have our own defences in as far as pharmaceuticals is concerned; which means having our own local supplies of essential drugs.
When the pandemic reached peak level in 2020 and 2021, and the demand for life-saving vaccines became critical, most countries in Africa were at the mercy of countries that were able to manufacture their own drugs.
With borders shut, the global village concept failed, and each country was looking for its own interests first – saving their citizens’ lives.
How could they have looked beyond their borders when their own citizens were dying?
And so we saw how African nations scrambled for the vaccines and other essentials, including face masks.
We remember how the United Nations pleaded with the rich nations to share the vaccines with Africa.
Most of them did, but the message was still clear: Africa and African countries must find their own solutions, build their own defences to fight pandemics.
One of President Hakainde Hichilema’s rallying call is having African solutions to Africa’s problems, and we have seen this vision unfolding in the pharmaceutical sector.
We have seen a significant push from Government to develop our pharmaceutical industry in the past few years, which is very commendable.
We noted with great anticipation the recent announcement by President Hichilema that the country is close to rolling out its own locally manufactured cholera vaccine.
And in October last year, the Ministry of Health and MEDZAM Healthcare Limited signed a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of local manufacturing for in vitro diagnostics rapid test kits.
Another MoU was signed with Akums Drug Company of India for the manufacture of essential medicines.
But these and other already existing investments cannot thrive without our support.
We, therefore, support the President’s directive to Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) to give priority to local medicine suppliers whenever there is a bid in order to grow the local pharmaceutical sector.
The President made the call through Minister of Health Elijah Muchima when he commissioned Yash Life Sciences’ ultra-modern penicillin manufacturing plant in Kafue yesterday.
Indeed, the growth of our pharmaceutical industry is essential for the health of our nation. Like already alluded to, we cannot depend on far-away nations when we are hit by a pandemic like COVID, or even cholera.
We must be strong enough to fight and protect our citizens in such critical moments.
We hope that this latest investment will change the picture in some of our health facilities in as far as the availability of drugs is concerned.
It is also a good way to prepare for the future. The world is constantly under threat from pandemics. There is just no guarantee that COVID was the last of pandemics, or that it was the worst.
Since COVID, our country has had to deal with two other threats – monkeypox and one of the worst cholera outbreaks in our nation’s history.
While pharmaceutical is a business, and big business at that, we must always appreciate its life-saving nature. We must never forget the end user, and the implications of them not getting the drugs.
We, therefore, urge ZAMMSA to heed the President’s directive for the good of our nation.
Let’s drink our own medicines
ONE of the greatest lessons that COVID-19 taught us is the need to have our own defences in as far as pharmaceuticals is concerned; which means having our own local supplies of essential drugs.
When the pandemic reached peak level in 2020 and 2021, and the demand for life-saving vaccines became critical, most countries in Africa were at the mercy of countries that were able to manufacture their own drugs.
With borders shut, the global village concept failed, and each country was looking for its own interests first – saving their citizens’ lives.
How could they have looked beyond their borders when their own citizens were dying?
And so we saw how African nations scrambled for the vaccines and other essentials, including face masks.
We remember how the United Nations pleaded with the rich nations to share the vaccines with Africa.
Most of them did, but the message was still clear: Africa and African countries must find their own solutions, build their own defences to fight pandemics.
One of President Hakainde Hichilema’s rallying call is having African solutions to Africa’s problems, and we have seen this vision unfolding in the pharmaceutical sector.
We have seen a significant push from Government to develop our pharmaceutical industry in the past few years, which is very commendable.
We noted with great anticipation the recent announcement by President Hichilema that the country is close to rolling out its own locally manufactured cholera vaccine.
And in October last year, the Ministry of Health and MEDZAM Healthcare Limited signed a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of local manufacturing for in vitro diagnostics rapid test kits.
Another MoU was signed with Akums Drug Company of India for the manufacture of essential medicines.
But these and other already existing investments cannot thrive without our support.
We, therefore, support the President’s directive to Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) to give priority to local medicine suppliers whenever there is a bid in order to grow the local pharmaceutical sector.
The President made the call through Minister of Health Elijah Muchima when he commissioned Yash Life Sciences’ ultra-modern penicillin manufacturing plant in Kafue yesterday.
Indeed, the growth of our pharmaceutical industry is essential for the health of our nation. Like already alluded to, we cannot depend on far-away nations when we are hit by a pandemic like COVID, or even cholera.
We must be strong enough to fight and protect our citizens in such critical moments.
We hope that this latest investment will change the picture in some of our health facilities in as far as the availability of drugs is concerned.
It is also a good way to prepare for the future. The world is constantly under threat from pandemics. There is just no guarantee that COVID was the last of pandemics, or that it was the worst.
Since COVID, our country has had to deal with two other threats – monkeypox and one of the worst cholera outbreaks in our nation’s history.
While pharmaceutical is a business, and big business at that, we must always appreciate its life-saving nature. We must never forget the end user, and the implications of them not getting the drugs.
We, therefore, urge ZAMMSA to heed the President’s directive for the good of our nation.