Pharmacists and industrialists under the aegis of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Malawi, said that local drug manufacturers may soon close since almost all finished pharmaceuticals products are to be imported into Malawi, even those that fall under import prohibition list. Local pharmaceuticals companies blamed the situation on inconsistent government policies, which deter potential investors and kills local drug manufacturing.
They cited a publication by the Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST), which seen advertising tenders inviting international bidders to compete with local manufactures on the prohibited list package of drugs that is to be locally manufactured in the country according the LPO, CMST/G/MMS/022/000602. This publication have seen which will make nonsense of manufacturing locally
Local drug manufactures blamed the situation on inconsistent government policies, which Central medical Stores Trust (CMST) deter potential investors and kills local drug
manufacturing locally..
They said the Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) cannot give incentive to importers and disincentive local manufactures that are creating jobs, saving foreign exchange (forex), attracting investors among other economy building ventures, let the country walk the talk and start with low hanging fruits. There are huge potentials untapped in the local pharmaceutical manufacturing sector,
but due to inadequate support for the sector, the sector is not living up to close, local pharmaceutical companies should be able to close the gap, at least produce 70 per cent of the medicine consumed by Malawians but the reverse is the case, we are still import dependent, We dare not import such prohibited listed products into our country without consequences. but everybody knows that excessive imports is a major drawback of our economic life in all sectors
