Research
Methodology for the 2026 Access to Medicine Index
09 October 2025
Africa's evolving healthcare landscape: How generic medicine manufacturers are expanding medicine supply and availability
Africa's healthcare landscape is undergoing significant transformation caused by rising demand for medicines, a shifting disease burden and evolving market conditions. This report explores how multinational and regional generic medicine manufacturers are responding – and the role they can play in strengthening access across Africa.
Date
08 September 2026
The growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NDCs), alongside persistent challenges from infectious diseases and maternal health conditions, is placing increasing pressure on healthcare systems across Africa. Generic medicine manufacturers have long been central to expanding access to affordable treatments and scaling the availability of essential medicines – and as health needs continue to evolve, their role will become increasingly important in addressing emerging gaps.Â
Drawing on insights from a cross-section of eight generic manufacturers, this report examines how companies are adapting to Africa's changing healthcare landscape through a range of strategies, including local manufacturing, supply chain diversification, portfolio expansion and new partnership models. It highlights that while progress in regulatory harmonisation, intra-Africa trade and investment are creating opportunities, a number of barriers continue to constrict access.Â
The report finds that generic medicine manufacturers have a critical opportunity to support Africa’s future healthcare needs, but lasting progress will require collaboration across the ecosystem. Manufacturers cannot overcome key challenges – including uneven procurement systems, differing regulatory requirements and uncertain demand – in a vacuum. An enabling environment that helps companies' efforts to scale will be crucial to boosting access continent-wide.Â
What's in the report?
8 COMPANIES
Ranging from multinational companies to regional African manufacturers: Aspen Pharmacare, Cipla Ltd, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries, EVA Pharma, Hikma Pharmaceuticals plc, Sothema, Universal Corporation Ltd, Viatris Inc. Learn more from company fact sheets detailing their history, production sites and recent developments.Â
51 COUNTRIES
The report investigates company presence and activity across 51 African countries.
3 THERAPEUTIC AREAS
The report explores how manufacturers are expanding into crucial therapeutic areas, including for two non-communicable diseases – diabetes and cardiovascular diseases – and maternal health conditions.Â
3 TRENDS
The report finds that generic medicine manufacturers are responding to Africa's evolving healthcare landscape in three ways – implementing strategies to increase availability, bolster local capacity and support supply chain resilience; expanding into new treatment areas to meet evolving healthcare needs; and leveraging diverse partnerships to drive capability development and market access.
8 OPPORTUNITIES
Despite promising progress from manufacturers, future success will hinge on coordinated next steps taken by key stakeholders, including governments, investors and the global health community. The report sets out eight practical opportunities to boost access to essential healthcare products across Africa.
About the Generic & Biosimilar Medicines Programme
This report is part of the Access to Medicine Foundation’s Generic & Biosimilar Medicines Programme, which endeavours to expand access and ensure these critical medicines reach those who need them most. Our milestone first report, published in 2023, spotlighted the access efforts of five major generic and biosimilar medicine manufacturers.
As part of the Programme, we also leverage the Foundation's convening power to bring the right people together to share insights and identify solutions: alongside the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, we convened a high-level roundtable session bringing together regulators, manufacturers and senior health sector executives for strategic dialogue to advance actionable solutions to support the sustainable manufacturing of generic medicines across the African continent.Â
