By Stephen Adeleye
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has referred to as on African governments to speed up ratification and regulatory harmonisation to develop entry to inexpensive medicines and unlock Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing potential.
The name is contained in a press release on Friday in Lokoja by Mr Steve Aborisade, Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria.
Aborisade stated the decision was crucial as greater than 20 African Union Member States had been but to ratify the AMA Treaty, including that 33 member states had ratified the treaty by October 2026.
“Accelerating ratification is essential to building a coordinated continental regulatory system that supports local production while ensuring access to safe, effective quality-assured medical products,” he stated.
He famous that Africa’s pharmaceutical market was estimated at 30 billion {dollars}, but 70 to 95 per cent of medicines consumed on the continent had been imported, with a pharmaceutical commerce deficit of roughly 12.5 billion {dollars} in 2020.
According to him fragmented regulatory necessities are constraining native producers’ capability to scale manufacturing and entry regional markets.
He quoted shows through the AMA Week which commenced on Oct. 25, 2026 and was anticipated to finish on Oct. 30 (at present) as displaying that 80 per cent of native producers recognized unpredictable regulatory evaluation and approval timelines as a serious problem.
He stated the presentation confirmed that 77 per cent cited differing regulatory necessities throughout African nations, and 54 per cent pointed to duplicated submissions, assessments and inspections.
He defined that these limitations enhance prices, delay entry to medicines and discourage funding in African pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“Africa cannot achieve health sovereignty while remaining heavily dependent on imported medicines and vulnerable to disruptions in global supply chains.
“We commend AMA for taking this bold step towards a more coordinated regulatory environment,” he quoted Penninah Lutung, AHF Executive Vice President, as saying.
Aborisade additionally quoted Dr Jorge Saavedra, Executive Director of the Global Public Health Institute, as saying regulatory harmonisation should go hand in hand with expertise switch, analysis and growth, and strengthening of African scientific establishments.
“The establishment of AMA is an important investment in Africa’s collective capacity to protect public health and shape the future of global health. Africa’s health sovereignty must move from aspiration to implementation,” Saavedra stated.
The AHF senior advocacy and advertising supervisor emphasised that basis stood able to work with African governments, AMA, scientists, universities, civil society and business to advance a resilient, equitable and self-reliant African well being ecosystem.(NAN)
Edited by Deborah Coker
