The government has launched the Cabinet-approved Ghana Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Policy to double local medicine production, create thousands of skilled industrial jobs and position Ghana as West Africa’s leading pharmaceutical hub.
The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, announced this at the policy launch in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
She said the policy seeks to address Ghana’s dependence on imported medicines, which currently account for about 70 per cent of the country’s medicine supply.
Under the policy, Ghana aims to increase the domestic market share of locally manufactured medicines from 30 per cent to 60 per cent, as part of efforts to achieve President John Dramani Mahama’s target of 70 per cent pharmaceutical self-sufficiency.
“Medicines are not ordinary goods. A country that cannot produce its own essential medicines leaves its health, economy, and sovereignty vulnerable,” the minister said.
She explained that the policy provides a coordinated framework to align investment, regulation, public procurement, skills development and regional trade in support of local pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The policy is built around six key pillars: improving product quality and compliance with international manufacturing standards; expanding market access for locally produced medicines through public procurement and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS); providing affordable, long-term financing; strengthening local production of pharmaceutical ingredients and vaccines; promoting research and industrial skills development; and expanding exports through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
As part of the financing arrangements, the government intends to partner with Development Bank Ghana, Ghana EXIM Bank and GIPA to improve access to affordable capital for pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The policy also seeks to help local producers achieve World Health Organization (WHO) Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification and prequalification, while encouraging a transition from basic packaging to the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipients and vaccines.
The launch brought together representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), National Vaccine Institute, Development Bank Ghana, GIZ, the World Health Organization and the European Union.
The government expects the policy to strengthen domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing, reduce reliance on imported medicines and expand Ghana’s participation in regional pharmaceutical trade.
By: Bernard Mensah
Discussion about this post