TEHRAN –Eleven Iranian pharmaceutical manufacturing companies have taken important steps towards presenting their products in East African markets.

Thanks to the efforts of the Iran House of Innovation and Technology (iHiT) in Kenya and the support of the Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, 13 different production lines in 11 pharmaceutical companies were inspected by the ministry of health of Kenya and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certificates were issued, IRIB reported.

The move plays an important role in strengthening the status of Iran's pharmaceutical industry in the region.

In January 2021, Iran opened its house of innovation and technology in Kenya and the first center in Africa.

The center serves as a base for the creation of innovative ideas, the commercialization of these ideas, and the export of Iranian knowledge-based products and services to the East African market.

Africa welcomes Iranian medical equipment, medicine

On December 19, the deputy health minister of Libya met with the head of the Food and Drug Administration of Iran, discussing ways to cooperate on producing medical and pharmaceutical products.

During the meeting, which was held in Tehran, the officials also agreed on sharing experiences in research, education, blood transfusion, emergency services, and technology.

“Iran is a leading country in the field of health so we are ready to cooperate with Iran in various fields of health and medicine,” IRNA quoted the Libyan official as saying.

He added Libya is interested in benefiting from Iran's experience and knowledge in the field of pharmaceutical production, medical equipment, and research.

Heidar Mohammadi, Mohammadi, for his part, referring to the production of 99 percent of medicines in Iran, said, “Iran has achieved self-sufficiency in the field of medicine, medical equipment, food products, cosmetics and powdered milks.”

“Currently, six vaccines for coronavirus are being produced by Iranian scientists, and we are ready to jointly produce these vaccines, medicines, and other devices in the health field, as well as transferring technology to Libya,” he added.

He went on to say, “The export of Iranian vaccines to neighboring countries shows Iran's capabilities in the field of medicine and pharmaceutical production.

Moreover, Mohammad Hossein Niknam, the deputy health minister for international cooperation, highlighting the importance of health in the world said, “Iran is ready to identify fields of cooperation and expand collaboration in the field of health with Libya.”

The parties put forward some proposals to further cooperation in the field of health. These proposals are to be reviewed and implemented in the coming days in meetings, during the visits of the delegation of the Libyan Ministry of Health to Iran’s health centers.

In July, Iranian knowledge-based companies concluded contracts for exporting medical equipment and medicine to Africa.

Amir-Hossein Mir-Abadi, an official with the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, said the African market is an attractive opportunity for Iranian knowledge-based companies, IRNA reported.

Referring to the recent visit of President Ebrahim Raisi to Africa, Mir-Abadi said works are underway for exporting 50 types of medical equipment and 10 medicines to Africa.

He touched on the President's visit to the House of Innovation and Technology of Iran in Kenya, saying: “The capacities and capabilities of Iranian knowledge-based companies for exporting technological products were greatly appreciated.”

He also pointed to the establishment of a medical and pharmaceutical equipment exhibition with the presence of more than 10 Iranian knowledge-based companies in Kenya.

He added that two Iranian companies succeeded in concluding contracts in this exhibition.

The process of registering more than 50 medical devices and two drugs for export to Kenya has been done, and the registration and process of exporting more than 10 other drugs to this country is in the implementation phase, he explained.

He listed agriculture, food, and livestock industries as among the fields that were highly regarded and needed by African countries.

“In his speech, the president of Kenya mentioned Iran's House of Innovation and Technology several times and the infrastructure created for technological cooperation between Iranian and Kenyan companies.”

During his visits to Kenya and Uganda, President Raisi emphasized the need to bolster technological cooperation, Mir-Abadi stressed.

In Uganda, an exhibition for knowledge-based products was opened. In practice, an infrastructure has been created for boosting the export of knowledge-based products and the display of Iranian capabilities, the official added.

“The products presented there were mostly in the field of the food industry, agricultural industry, medicine and medical devices, chemical products and catalysts, building materials and products related to the field of livestock and poultry, as well as medicines and herbal supplements.”
In September 2022, Health Minister Bahram Einollahi said that Iran has one of the strongest health systems in the region and that this opportunity should be used optimally in the field of health diplomacy.

Based on innovative indicators of health technology development in 2021, Iran was ranked 60th among 132 countries, which shows an improvement of 60 steps compared to 2014, Younes Panahi, the deputy health minister for research and technology, has announced.

In June 2021, Ahmed al-Mandhari, the World Health Organization director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, said the Islamic Republic of Iran is a role model for primary health care.

The national budget bill for the next Iranian calendar year 1402, which starts on March 21, has increased the health sector’s budget by 29 percent compared to the current year’s budget.

The bill has proposed a budget of 2,730 trillion rials (about $6.8 billion) for the Ministry of Health, IRNA reported.

The administration has also proposed 690 trillion rials (about $1.7 billion) as subsidies to provide medicine by health industries.

MT/MG