President Akufo-Addo has tasked the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) to position Ghana to become the place for the production of a generic drug in Africa.

As the Africa Continental Free Trade Area is set to be operationalised next year, President Akufo-Addo asked the Pharmacists to take steps to make it possible.

President Akufo-Addo was addressing a delegation of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana at the Jubilee House.

The Visit to the Jubilee House was to confer an Honorary member on the President.

President Akufo-Addo lauded efforts by Pharmaceutical Giant, Roche and the National Health Insurance Scheme to place breast cancer drug Herceptin on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) list.

At least, 230 Ghanaian women, who, hitherto, would have found the cost unbearable, have benefited from the intervention.

President Akufo-Addo said he was “happy to hear about this partnership between Roche Pharma and NHIA producing this drug for breast cancer.

“This is the newest for breast cancer and is now available within our National Insurance Scheme, that is a very big step for us. It’s excellent” he stated.

President Akufo-Addo assured the PSGH of Government’s commitment to supporting the pharmaceutical companies to compete globally.

The President said the COVID-19 would have been difficult to manage “but for your (PSGH) involvement and corporation, the country owes you a great deal of thanks for the way and manner you stood up to help.”

The President of PSGH, Ben Botwe, commended President Akufo-Addo for the “leadership shown, in steering the affairs of the nation through the turbulent COVID-19 pandemic.

He commends the government, also, for the support through the EXIM Bank and the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), to local pharmaceutical manufacturers and various categories of pharmaceutical businesses to enable them to support the National response against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Ben Botwe said the PSGH had received a request for proposals from the Ministry of Health to assist in reviewing the list of medicines to be restricted for local production.

“And indeed we’re working with the relevant stakeholders to respond to this laudable request.”

He commended the National Development Planning Commission (MDPC) for working to develop the “Ghana Pharmaceutical Sector Development Planned Document.”

The PSGH had requested for a dedicated desk to be created at the NDPC to oversee the implementation of this plan, Mr. Ben Botwe said, “we (PSGH) are ready to provide the necessary expertise for this particular purpose office should that be required.”

On the issue of indebtedness of National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to service providers which was affecting Pharmaceuticals, the President of PSGH said “I am happy to inform you that with some cursory research done, there is a significant improvement in the reimbursement of service providers.”

Indeed, previous arrears have been cleared while most service providers whose claims are in order up to April 2020”, he stated.