Local manufacturing of medicines in Africa

How can low and middle-income countries develop and sustain local pharmaceutical manufacturing and allied capabilities in order to contribute to health-secure local and global contexts? 

This interdisciplinary body of ongoing research examines, challenges and deconstructs existing policies, infrastructures and other global, regional and local mechanisms for the production and supply of health sector products, including medicines, devices and vaccines.

Pink pipette being used over tray of test tubes

The work focuses particularly on Sub-Saharan Africa, drawing lessons for, and from different parts of the world to bring to the fore nuanced case studies, associations and tensions on the role that local supplies from an embedded and strong health-industry ecosystem can play in fostering health security. Persisting challenges from communicable and non-communicable diseases, together with the current COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgent need for local health sector capabilities as a key component of global health. 

Team

Lead Institution
The Open University
 
UCL PI
Dr Julius Mugwagwa

UCL members
Professor Joanna Chataway

Academic collaborators 
University of Edinburgh

Industry Collaborators 
Overseas Development Institute

Publications

Mugwagwa, J., Banda, G., Kale, D., & Mackintosh, M. (2021). Local manufacturing for health in Africa in the time of Covid‑19: experience and lessons for policy. London: Overseas Development Institute (ODI).

Banda, G., Mugwagwa, J., Wanjala, C., Mackintosh, M., & Kale, D. (2021). Local manufacturing, local supply chains and health security in Africa: Lessons from COVID-19. BMJ Global Health, 6 (6). doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2021-00636

Mugwagwa, J. T., Mackintosh, M., Banda, G., Tunguhole, J., Tibandebage, P., Wangwe, S., & Karimi Njeru, M. (2018). Health-industry linkages for local health: reframing policies for African health system strengthening. Health Policy and Planning. doi:10.1093/heapol/czy022

Mugwagwa, J. (2018). Mission-oriented innovation and health-industry linkages in Africa. Presented at: Mo Ibrahim Governance Weekend.

Mackintosh, M., Banda, G., Tunguhole, J., & Mugwagwa, J. (2017). Local production of pharmaceuticals and health system strengthening in Africa. German Health Practice Collection.

Mugwagwa, J. T., Papaioannou, T., Kale, D., & Watkins, A. (2016). Industry Associations and the Changing Politics of Making Medicines in South Africa. In M. Mackintosh, G. Banda, P. Tibandebage, W. Wamae (Eds.), Making Medicines in Africa: the Political Economy of Industrializing for Local Health. International Political Economy. Basingstoke, United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan.

Image: Photo by Louis Reed on Unsplash