In Africa, over 80 % of medicines are imported, mainly from India and China for generics, and from major international laboratories for licensed medicines. Medical equipment, masks, tests and protection are also imported, often from Asia. In other words, Covid-19 was a revelation.
At with the exception of a few countries that have developed a genuine pharmaceutical industry, such as South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia or Egypt, which cover between 70 % and 80 % of their needs, for the other countries on the continent, drug manufacturers can be counted on their fingers.
In this article, economist Larabi Jaïdi questions the failure to exploit the enormous potential of the pharmaceutical industry in Africa.
