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As NCDs rise in Africa, generic drugmakers see a growing market
08 September 2026
Date
08 September 2026
Report highlights opportunity for generic drug makers in Africa
In an article for the Star, Allan Kisia, writes about the key takeaways from the Access to Medicine Foundation’s latest report that examines how eight generic medicine manufacturers are responding to Africa’s changing healthcare landscape.
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The article notes that in Africa, rates of non-communicable diseases are growing alongside high rates of infectious diseases and maternal health, with significant gaps remaining in access to essential medicines for products related to many disease areas.
The article includes the three broad strategies from the report that manufacturers are leveraging to respond to access gaps. The first is strengthening the reliability of medicine supplies; the second is expanding medicine portfolios to reflect changing disease patterns; the third is the development of new partnerships focused on strengthening local pharmaceutical capabilities.
While these strategies are leading to progress, the article notes that manufacturers continue to face significant structural obstacles, and that achieving equitable access to medicine on the continent will depend on stakeholders across the public and private sectors to collaborate – not just companies.
