DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – In a bold move to strengthen Tanzania’s healthcare sovereignty, Health Minister Mohamed Mchengerwa has issued a 21-day ultimatum for officials to prepare an international call for pharmaceutical and medical device investors to establish manufacturing plants within the country.
The directive, announced in Dar es Salaam, requires the Ministry of Health’s Department of Pharmaceutical Services, the Office of the Chief Government Pharmacist, and the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) to collaboratively prepare and publish a “Call for Expression of Interest” targeting both domestic and international investors in the healthcare manufacturing sector.
“This initiative aims to attract investment in local pharmaceutical and medical-device industries to increase domestic production and reduce our dependency on imported products,” Minister Mchengerwa stated during the announcement.
The push for local pharmaceutical manufacturing addresses several critical challenges in Tanzania’s healthcare landscape. By establishing local production facilities, the government aims to better oversee medicine quality and safety while significantly reducing the substantial costs currently spent on importing health commodities.
The minister specifically instructed officials to clearly outline potential collaboration areas in drug manufacturing and to actively welcome investors interested in establishing new pharmaceutical and medical device factories across Tanzania.
This development comes as Tanzania prepares to host Africa’s Antimicrobial Resistance Conference, highlighting the country’s growing role in addressing continental health challenges. Local pharmaceutical production is seen as crucial not only for economic reasons but also for ensuring medicine security in the face of global health crises.
Industry experts have welcomed the move, noting that reduced reliance on imported medicines could lead to more stable supplies and potentially lower drug prices for Tanzanian consumers. The initiative is also expected to create skilled employment opportunities and stimulate related sectors in the economy.
The 21-day timeline demonstrates the government’s urgency in addressing healthcare manufacturing gaps and signals Tanzania’s serious commitment to building a self-reliant healthcare infrastructure.
