PM holds meeting to follow up on availability of medicine in Egyptian market
- Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has convened a meeting to address medicine shortages in Egypt, emphasizing the importance of generic names for medications and a unified procurement strategy to ensure drug availability.
- The Egyptian government is allocating EGP 7 billion to tackle the medication shortage, facilitating customs clearance for imports, and localizing pharmaceutical production to integrate modern technologies with domestic solutions.
- The Egyptian Drug Authority and Unified Procurement Authority are striving to maintain a strategic reserve and strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain, aiming to produce safe, affordable, and high-quality medications locally while reducing dependency on imports.
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In a significant move aimed at addressing the persistent medicine shortages plaguing the Egyptian market, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly convened a crucial meeting to oversee the availability of essential drugs. The gathering, which took place at the government headquarters in New Alamein City, highlighted the urgent need to ensure that citizens have access to necessary medications. This article delves into the key points discussed during the meeting, the steps being taken to alleviate the shortage, and the broader implications for Egypt's healthcare sector.
The Ongoing Crisis of Medicine Shortages
Egypt has been grappling with a severe shortage of medicines, affecting a wide range of treatments including those for chronic diseases and mental illnesses. The shortage has been attributed to several factors, including the lack of foreign currency to import raw materials necessary for local production. Additionally, shipping delays, limited availability of alternatives, and public hesitation to use substitutes have further exacerbated the problem (Egyptianstreets.com).
The situation has reached a critical point, with an estimated 800 medications currently unavailable in the Egyptian market (Egyptianstreets.com). This shortage has not only impacted the health of citizens but also strained the already overburdened healthcare system.
Government Initiatives to Address the Shortage
The government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, has been actively working to resolve the crisis. One of the primary strategies involves facilitating customs clearance for imported medicines and ensuring the release of raw materials required for local manufacturing (Egyptindependent.com).
To address the shortage, the government has allocated a significant amount of funds. Mohamed al-Homosany, the spokesperson for the Egyptian Cabinet, announced that EGP 7 billion (approximately USD 143.4 million) would be allocated to meet the shortage of medications and medical supplies needed by hospitals and pharmacies (Egyptianstreets.com).
Localizing Pharmaceutical Production
One of the most significant efforts underway is the localization of pharmaceutical production. The Egyptian government is aiming to adopt a modern strategy that integrates imported technologies with locally developed solutions. This approach aims to produce safe, effective, and high-quality medications at affordable prices. It also seeks to localize unconventional pharmaceutical manufacturing to cover the Egyptian market with non-traditional drugs, thereby reducing import costs and increasing pharmaceutical exports (Egyptianstreets.com).
Ihab Wahba, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Popular Party in the Senate, has proposed a detailed plan to resolve Egypt’s persistent medicine shortages. The plan emphasizes the strategic importance of medicine as a critical commodity and the pharmaceutical industry as one of Egypt’s most vital industries. It outlines a strategy to effectively integrate imported technologies with locally developed solutions to achieve greater self-reliance in medication production (Egyptianstreets.com).
Meeting Highlights: Ensuring Medicine Availability
The recent meeting led by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly was a crucial step in addressing the ongoing crisis. During the gathering, Madbouly emphasized the importance of adopting generic names for medications instead of brand names. This shift is expected to facilitate the availability of alternative medicines and meet the needs of citizens more efficiently (Egypttoday.com).
Ali Al-Ghamrawi, Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), announced that the Authority has successfully ensured the availability of approximately 95% of Egyptian medicines in the market, effectively restoring the situation to pre-shortage levels. This achievement was a direct result of the Authority's efforts to provide medicines on the market according to required priorities, working on making a strategic stock of medicines available for various uses, and monitoring the stock of medicines to control the various supply and distribution chains (Egypttoday.com).
Bahaa El-Din Zidan, Head of the Egyptian Unified Procurement Authority (UPA), highlighted the Authority's efforts in implementing a unified procurement strategy to strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain. He also discussed the importance of maintaining a strategic reserve to meet the country's short-term pharmaceutical needs and improving the supply of raw materials to support local drug manufacturing. This initiative includes technology transfer aimed at developing a robust and sustainable pharmaceutical industry in Egypt (Egypttoday.com).
The Future of Egypt's Pharmaceutical Industry
Egypt's pharmaceutical market is one of the largest in Africa, with annual sales amounting to approximately USD 7 billion (EGP 341.7 billion). The nation is home to 170 factories that collectively produce four billion drug packages annually, meeting 91% of the country’s pharmaceutical needs. Egypt produces 92% of its traditional medicines locally and imports eight percent of non-traditional medicines, such as serums and cancer treatments. The cost of importing this eight percent accounts for 35% of the country’s total medicine expenditure (Egyptianstreets.com).
Despite the current challenges, the efforts to revive Egypt’s pharmaceutical industry could create a more resilient and self-sufficient healthcare system for the future. The integration of local production with modern technologies and the strategic reserve initiative are pivotal steps towards achieving this goal.
Conclusion
The recent meeting led by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly underscores the government's commitment to addressing the persistent medicine shortages in Egypt. By adopting generic names for medications and implementing a unified procurement strategy, the government is working towards ensuring that essential drugs are available in the market. The localization of pharmaceutical production and the development of a strategic reserve are also crucial steps towards creating a robust and sustainable pharmaceutical industry in Egypt.
As the Egyptian government continues to navigate these challenges, it is clear that the future of the country's healthcare system depends on the success of these initiatives. With a focus on self-reliance and technological integration, Egypt is poised to overcome the current crisis and establish a more sustainable pharmaceutical industry.
