Local pharmaceutical manufacturers have called on the government to ease regulatory restrictions and create a more conducive environment for local drug production, citing the urgent need to improve access to affordable medicines across the country.

The industry players urged the Ministry of Health to partner more actively with manufacturers to address medicine affordability and supply challenges.

For decades, the country has been importing a large share of its pharmaceutical products, leaving the market vulnerable to global price fluctuations and logistical disruptions.

But manufacturers argue that strengthening local production would not only improve availability but also ensure consistency in supply and create jobs in the health sector.

Vikas Khandelwal, Vice President of Shalina Healthcare East Africa, noted that local pharmaceutical firms are ready to scale up production of essential medicines but are constrained by policy bottlenecks and high operational costs driven by regulation and import dependencies.

Speaking during the centenary celebration of Kaluma, a long-standing health product in Kenya, the stakeholders noted that there is potential to produce more medicines locally, which would significantly reduce the cost burden on the end user.

“We, however, need a policy framework that supports this ambition, particularly one that eases regulatory hurdles and incentivises local manufacturing,” he told journalists.

Industry stakeholders are also pushing for a review of pricing policies that affect drug affordability, especially for low-income households.

They argue that without reforms, the cost of essential medicines will continue to put pressure on public health systems and family incomes.

Domestic demand

At the event, Shalina Clifford, the firm’s Chief Executive, emphasised that while Kenya’s pharmaceutical sector has made strides, it still lacks the infrastructure and incentives to fully meet domestic demand.

This has led to continued reliance on imports, even for basic drugs that could be produced locally.

Kaluma, a health product line widely used in Kenyan households for generations, marked its 100th anniversary at the event.

While the milestone highlighted the brand’s longevity in the market, industry representatives used the occasion to focus attention on broader systemic issues affecting access to healthcare products.

Calls for government-industry partnerships come amid growing concern over medicine shortages in public hospitals and rising treatment costs for common illnesses.

“With the right policy interventions, Kenya could become more self-sufficient in meeting its pharmaceutical needs and reduce the financial strain on patients,” stated Clifford.