Bangladeshi firm breaks ground for Sh7.5bn drugs plant in Athi River

Correspondent

A Bangladeshi firm, Square Pharmaceuticals, on Monday broke ground for a Sh7.5 billion capsules plant at the Export Processing Zones in Athi River.

The plant, expected to be completed in July next year, will have a capacity of about two billion tablets and 60 million bottles of liquid medicines when fully operational.

The medicines will be sold to the domestic market and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).

The medicines will largely be for HIV/Aids, malaria, tuberculosis, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in phases within five years of starting operations.

'Reduce costs'

"Having a local pharmaceutical manufacturing plant will ensure Kenya and the region can easily access quality and affordable medicines," Square managing director Tapan Chowdhury said.

"We believe that local pharmaceutical production has potential to reduce cost of drugs by 40 per cent and bring about greater access to essential drugs, while at the same time promoting the agenda of universal healthcare (by the government)."

Kenya's pharmaceutical industry meets about 28 per cent of the market need, with the remainder being imported into the country.