Professor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, Governor of the County of Kisumu and Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President Intra African Trade and Export Development witness the signing of the agreement between Mr. Zitto Alfayo, Head of Project Preparation at Afreximbank and Dr. Dhiren Thakker, Chief Executive Officer of Med Aditus signed on behalf of his company. Photo courtesy
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Kenya-based Med Aditus Pharmaceutical Kenya Limited (Med Aditus) have signed a project preparation facility heads of terms agreement at the margins of the fourth edition of the African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AfSNET) Conference in Kisumu City, Kenya.
The Conference, organized by Afreximbank with the County Government of Kisumu and the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa, took place from 25 to 27 November. It focused on strengthening the role of Sub-Sovereign governments in promoting intra-African trade and implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The event, attended by over 900 delegates, featured the theme: “Leveraging the AfCFTA for Sustainable Trade and Investment.”
Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President of Intra African Trade and Export Development said, “The partnership with Med Aditus demonstrates Afreximbank’s close cooperation with public and private partners to accelerate development of innovative solutions for combating deadly diseases and scaling up healthcare financing and delivery. Afreximbank is committed to enhancing partnerships with local and international stakeholders to boost investment and support innovative technologies. The project’s strategic location in Kisumu will promote intra-African trade within the AfCFTA context.”
“I am particularly thrilled by the critical role the County Government of Kisumu played in support of this project by availing the project site and facilitating the partnership with the Great Lakes University of Kisumu to support local technical skills and capacities. This once again highlights the transformative roles sub-sovereign governments play as engines for broad-based economic development,” she added.
The project preparation facility will be deployed to part-finance the preparation of feasibility studies towards the development of Med Aditus’ pharmaceutical manufacturing plant.
Estimated to cost US$ 40 million, the plant will be situated on 10 acres of land in Kibos, Kisumu County, Kenya, and will boast an annual production capacity of two billion tablets/capsules. The specialist plant will focus on the production of tablets and capsules to treat non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular cases, diabetes, and cancer, as well as infectious diseases from HIV and malaria to tuberculosis, not to mention the production of drugs targeting neglected tropical diseases.
Designed as a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing plant that will comply with Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), the plant will deploy continuous manufacturing technology integrated with a blockchain-powered quality management system and pursue an innovative and cutting-edge approach to producing pharmaceutical products, marking a first-of-its-kind in Africa.
“ The plant will facilitate access to high-quality affordable medicines to the citizens of Kenya, East Africa, and the continent at large. Med Aditus Group’s commitment is to promote rapid growth of the local pharmaceutical manufacturing that will enhance health-care outcomes of the people and stimulate economic development throughout the region,” commented Dr. Dhiren Thakker, Chief Executive Officer of Med Aditus.
“By leveraging continuous modular manufacturing technology alongside blockchain integration in manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain logistics, and ultimately patient engagement, deployed for the first time in Africa, the continent will leapfrog into a leading producer and supplier of high-quality affordable medicines for its people and the global community,” he added.
The establishment of the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility is expected to strengthen and boost local production of essential medicines, improving access to more affordable and quality medicines across Kenya and neighboring countries. This will help enhance resilience to supply chain disruptions and also reduce the proliferation of counterfeit and low-quality medicines.
Afreximbank’s intervention is part of its ‘Africa Health Security Investment Plan” to support the health product manufacturing ambition of the continent. This initiative is pivotal in addressing Africa’s health investment challenges, promoting economic development, and strengthening health security across the continent.
Afreximbank is committed to enhancing partnerships with local and international stakeholders to boost investment and support innovative technologies
