Reducing the need of Africa to import expensive medications

In many low-income communities,  there is a common belief that medications produced under stringent quality management systems and good manufacturing practices (GMP) are too expensive. This often leads to the availability of poor-quality or even dangerous medicines, resulting in preventable loss of life and serious harm. There is a growing need for solutions that can deliver high-quality medications at competitive prices without compromising safety. PUM worked together with Quintex Pharma Ltd in Ghana to address this issue.

Across Africa, there is a movement toward local production of affordable, safe medicines. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored an essential lesson: healthcare supply chain resilience is a matter of national security. Many African countries faced significant challenges in acquiring vaccines on time, revealing the urgent need for better organisation and local capacity.

Quality improvement
Quintex Pharma Ltd., a private company in Ghana founded by Dr. Kwesi, recognised this need, and set out to establish a robust local supply chain to produce high-quality pharmaceutical products. The company plans to design, build, and operate a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Akuse, Eastern Region, Ghana, with the goal of producing drugs that meet internationally accredited standards.

Remote advice
To support this mission, PUM has partnered with Quintex Pharma, providing online expert guidance through its network of pharmaceutical sector specialists. In the early stages, the plant’s facility designs have been rigorously evaluated through remote consultations with PUM experts Pieter Rouwette and Lou van Noorden. Their input helped address key challenges in the plant’s design and set the foundation for future developments.

Outlook
Looking ahead, PUM expert Rienk van Doorn will work together with Quintex Pharma in reviewing the plant’s Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure compliance with international standards. As the plant develops, further cooperation might be required in the field of conducting a mock GMP audit to prepare for formal regulatory inspections and training operators to work in a pharmaceutical-grade environment.

Through this partnership, PUM is contributing to a broader goal of improving the pharmaceutical supply chain in Ghana and empowering Quintex Pharma to produce affordable, high-quality medications. This initiative not only addresses local healthcare needs but also strengthens the region’s capacity to become more self-sufficient in critical medical production, ultimately enhancing public healthcare sector in Ghana and beyond.