HH Addresses The First Ever Zambia - EU Pharmaceutical Forum

Delighted to have addressed the first ever Zambia - EU Pharmaceutical Forum at KK Wing of the Mulungushi International Conference Centre today. The theme, "Strengthening Healthcare Through Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing" is in tune with our collective effort to finding a resolution in the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry in our country.

We were pleased with the enthusiasm shown by our local pharmaceutical companies to migrate from the disposition and dependency of imported products, to the great initiative of partnering with the European Union, in manufacturing of pharmaceuticals locally in order to leverage on value addition and creation of jobs among many benefits.

Local entrepreneurs must avoid attempts of reinventing the wheel but be willing to collaborate and partner with well established foreign pharmaceutical companies in order build capacity and experience.

In this regard Government will deploy a deliberate policy of 'positive discrimination' by promoting local entrepreneurship in order to bring economic growth and capacity.

We advised collegues in the Health sector against engaging in the scourge of corruption that always disrupted the supply chain and warned that they would be on their own once found wanting.

We thanked the European Union for partnering with Government in finding lasting solutions to the challenges in the pharmaceutical industry.

Hakainde Hichilema,

President of the Republic of Zambia.