Pharmaceutical manufacturing in Kenya: Key trends and developments
This brief presents some trends and developments of the Kenyan pharmaceutical industry
Abstract
The improvement of health sector performance requires a holistic approach that addresses the wide ranging challenges that many African countries face: lack of adequated and highly skilled medical personnel; limited access to essential medicines and equipment; lack of access to affordable universal healthcare etc. Local capacity to manufacture essential pharmaceutical products is one way to catalyse national health sector performance. It has the ability to lower the costs of healthcare, to expand access and to stimulate research and innovation in the development of curative and preventive medicines for the regionʼs specific diseases. It also has the ability to induce the training of highly skilled medical personnels and to contribute to their in-country retention by leveraging public , private and civil society resources.
This brief presents some key trends and developments of the Kenyan pharmaceutical industry. It highlights the fact that whilst the local industry has great scope for improving health sector performance in Kenya, this is yet to be achieved. Strengthening policy synergies between the health sector and the pharmaceutical industry is an important way of contributing to better health.
This work is part of the ‘Industrial Productivity, Health Sector Performance and Policy Synergies for Inclusive Growth: A Study in Tanzania and Kenya’ Project
Citation
Wamae W, Kariuki Kungu J, (2014) Pharmaceutical Manufacturing in Kenya: Key Trends and Developments. ACTS Working Brief No 3, Nairobi, September 2014
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