We could run out of raw materials – Pharmaceutical Chamber

As coronavirus bite hard on global trade and manufacturing, the Pharmaceutical Chamber of Ghana fears its members will run out of active ingredients for producing drug soon.

With China, India and the United Kingdom placing an embargo on the export of active pharmaceutical ingredients with no end in sight for the coronavirus pandemic, the Chief Executive Officer of the chamber, Mr Anthony Ameka told theghanareport.com that the pharmaceutical industry was anchoring its hope on diplomacy.

” Yesterday we had a meeting with the  Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu and we told them that they should have some form of bilateral diplomatic discussion with China, India and UK.

“Because they have put an embargo on their raw materials leaving their countries because they don’t know how long the situation could be or could take. We can have that bilateral discussion with them for them to left the embargo on Ghana,” he said.

According to him, the outcome of that bilateral discussion would have a great impact on Ghana’s plan to fight the virus.

“Because currently we are at the infection level,  we are looking at how to prevent the infections. But when it gets to the next level, when people start coughing, we will need cough mixtures and oxygen. When they have respiratory infections, when we get there, we may need more resources to combat it” he explained.

Allaying the fears of Ghanaians, Ameka said, the chamber had provided a list of all raw materials it members would need to produce locally to the government.

The list would inform the government’s negotiation with the foreign partners, he said.