Indian drugmakers show interest in investing in Zimbabwe

Owen Mugurungi, director of the Aids and TB Unit in Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health Child and Welfare, said in an interview with New Ziana and reported by AllAfrica, that a number of Indian drugmakers were keen to partner with the government to establish plants that would manufacture generic antiretroviral (ARV) drugs locally.

Dr Mugurungi said the country stands to benefit from strategically partnering with India and other BRICS countries which include China, Brazil, Russia and South Africa. The cost of ARVs has been prohibitive, with reports of acute shortages of the drugs surfacing recently, New Ziana noted.

"Our relations with the BRICS nations present us with an opportunity to form link ups such that instead of importing the generic materials used in the manufacture of ARVs, we can manufacture the whole product locally. We should place emphasis on how we can grow the pharmaceutical sector and take advantage of the regional market," Dr Mugurungi said.