The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
Government has secured US$6 million from the Global Fund, through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for construction of a modern pharmaceutical warehouse in Mutare.
Construction of the warehouse, measuring 2 500 square metres, has begun and is expected to be completed in the next 12 months.
There are also plans to establish State-owned pharmaceutical warehouses in all 10 provinces in line with the devolution agenda.
As part of the programme, the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) has secured land in Bindura, Mashonaland Central, where a provincial warehouse is set to be constructed.
NatPharm spokesperson, Mr Munyaradzi Musiiwa, said construction of provincial warehouses will improve drug availability in all parts of the country.
“Construction (of the Mutare warehouse) has already commenced and the project is expected to be completed within 12 months,” he said.
“The NatPharm board has made strides to secure land in Bindura, Mashonaland Central, and is planning to do the same in all provinces where NatPharm does not have warehouses, in line with the devolution initiative.”
He said the US$25 million modern pharmaceutical warehouse at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital has been completed.
The facility, which was developed through a grant from the Chinese government, is set to be handed over to authorities soon.
“The new warehouse, which was donated to the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe by the government of the People’s Republic of China, is now complete and ready for occupation,” he said.
“Plans are afoot to migrate from the current warehouse to the new infrastructure once the official handover is done.
“There is no specific date yet as to when the building will be handover but expectations are that sooner rather than later.”
The warehouse holds approximately 10 000 pallets of medicine, while the existing NatPharm warehouse accommodates only nine pallets.
It is envisaged that the old warehouse will be converted into a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant.
“In line with Government thrust under the National Development Strategy 1, local production of pharmaceuticals is being prioritised,” he added.
“In this regard, the old warehouse may be converted into a manufacturing facility. There, however, has not been any specific guidance that has been given by the shareholder.
“NatPharm is, however, gearing up for the opportunity to venture into manufacturing given that throughout the 1980s it had functional production units for basic medicines.”
NatPharm is presently exploring a joint venture with an Indonesian company, Bio Farma, to manufacture drugs locally.
