The Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association (PIWA) has launched its 10th anniversary celebration with a call on stakeholders to strengthen collaboration to support local pharmaceutical manufacturing, while maintaining responsible drug imports to ensure Ghanaians have continuous access to medicines.
On the theme: “A Decade of Impact Through Effective Collaboration,” the event brought together regulators, pharmacists, entrepreneurs, among others, to celebrate PIWA’s contributions to the pharmaceutical supply chain, public health and job creation.
At the launch in Accra, the President of PIWA, Dr William Adum Addo, said the future of Ghana’s pharmaceutical sector should not be viewed as a choice between local production and imports, stressing that both were indispensable to strengthening the country’s healthcare system.
“The future should not be framed as local manufacturing versus importation. Rather, it should be local manufacturing alongside responsible importation and efficient distribution. Both are very essential,” he stated.
He explained that while local manufacturers provided strategic domestic production capacity, importers ensured that medicines not produced locally or available in insufficient quantities remained accessible to patients.
Dr Adum Addo further stressed that resilient medicine supply chains had become a national priority following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chain disruptions, foreign exchange instability, rising inflation and geopolitical tensions.
“The pandemic reminded the entire world that health security begins with resilient supply chains,” he said, and added that despite the global challenges, Ghana continued to receive essential medicines because industry players, regulators, healthcare providers and government institutions worked together.
“That experience reinforced one truth: collaboration is not optional; it is very, very essential,” he emphasised.
Commitment
The PIWA President reaffirmed the association’s commitment to working closely with the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drugs Authority, the Pharmacy Council, the National Health Insurance Authority, healthcare providers and development partners to improve access to quality medicines.
Manufacturing hub
The Senior Executive in charge of Investments in Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals at the Office of the President, Dr Bernice Makafui Brempong, advised the association to take advantage of the government's drive to position Ghana as the pharmaceutical manufacturing hub of West Africa by investing in local production.
She said the country's new pharmaceutical manufacturing policy and the planned Ghana Pharmaceutical and Bio-Manufacturing Hub would create opportunities for importers to transition into local manufacturing.
