Algeria’s Pharmaceutical Exports to 15 African Countries

Very few countries in the world achieved self-sufficiency in terms of providing medicines, Lotfi Benbahmed, Minister of Pharmaceutical Industries, said, during a visit to Ain Defla, on Monday.

“Algeria imports oncology and insulin medicines, the cost of which is more than one billion dollars, including 400 million dollars for insulin”, he added.

In response to Echorouk’s question, the minister confirmed that 5 production units have been launched and others will launch the production phase in the next few days, similar to those located in Constantine, Ain Melilla and Oran, where they will inevitably ensure self-sufficiency in those medicines, especially those related to oncology and some other medicines will be produced in the coming year.

“As for insulin, there is a national investor who will start the production phase before next July 5th, and there will be a high added value, contrary to what it was, to ensure the development of economic growth similar to the pharmaceutical production unit located in Khemis Miliana, which provides 500 jobs at present, and is expected to attract 500 youth in the coming years”.

The minister refused to continue importing for considerations, the most important of which is allowing Algerian companies to invest in this field; “the ministerial administration is working to devote this by allowing the establishment of more than 195 production units for medicine actually to manufacture various types of medicines”.

Benbahmed explained that there is a group of industrial units specialized in manufacturing and distributing medicines that fall within the commitments of the President of the Republic’s program, to reach 70% in terms of self-sufficiency in the field of medicines locally, after the percentage in 2020 did not exceed 52%.

“The medicines produced locally and consumed are currently heading towards exportation to many Western African countries such as Mali, Senegal and Ivory Coast. More than 15 countries will import medicines manufactured locally according to important economic contracts”.

Global sales from worldwide exports of drugs and medicines in 2021 totalled US$426.8 billion.

Overall the value of drugs and medicines delivered via international markets expanded by an average of 24.2% for all exporting countries since 2017 when drugs and medicines shipments were valued at $343.6 billion.

There was a year-over-year gain of 3.5% from $412.3 billion in 2020.

The top 5 exporters of drugs and medicines are Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the United States of America and France. Collectively, that quintet of major pharmaceutical suppliers accounted for almost half (48.3%) of globally exported drugs and medicines in 2021, according to the worlds-top-exports website.

Among continents, European countries sold the highest dollar value worth of exported drugs and medicines during 2021 with shipments from Europe accumulating to $337.5 billion or 79.1% of the global total. In second place were pharmaceutical exporters in Asia at 10.2% while another 9.4% of worldwide drugs and medicine shipments originated from North America.

Tinier percentages came from suppliers of drugs and medicines in Latin America (0.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (0.33%) led by Australia and New Zealand, then Africa (0.27%).

The 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of drugs and medicines during 2021 are : Germany: US$64.7 billion (15.2% of total drugs and medicines exports) .Switzerland: $50.3 billion (11.8%) . Belgium: $33.3 billion (7.8%). United States of America: $30.5 billion (7.1%) . France: $27.4 billion (6.4%) . Italy: $26.1 billion (6.1%) . Ireland: $22.7 billion (5.3%) . Netherlands: $19.7 billion (4.6%) . United Kingdom: $19.2 billion (4.5%) . India: $17.5 billion (4.1%) . Denmark: $16 billion (3.8%) . Spain: $11.4 billion (2.7%) . Canada: $8.6 billion (2%) . Slovenia: $8.5 billion (2%). Sweden: $8.1 billion (1.9%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 85.3% of all exported drugs and medicine for 2021.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of drugs and medicines from 2020 to 2021 were: the United States of America (up 23.3%), Slovenia (up 16.7%), Canada (up 12.3%), Belgium (up 7.8%) and Germany (up 6%).

Those countries that posted year-over-year declines were led by Sweden (down -11.4%), Italy (down -4.4%), France (down -3.9%) and Denmark (also down -3.9%).