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Mukudzei Chingwere

Herald Reporter 

Zimbabwe is stepping up efforts to meet it’s national pharmaceutical strategy of becoming a net exporter of medical consumables with the country having this week dispached a high level, cross cutting delegation to the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress 2023 in Dubai.

Arab Health Exhibition and Congress is a premier healthcare consumables and medical equipment expo bringing together the best manufacturers from across the globe under one roof for an interactive and notes sharing symposium.

Zimbabwe was one of just three African countries that exhibited at this year’s event.

The exhibition came at an opportune time for the country particularly as it gears from being a market but a major international manufacturer of medicinal products as set out by President Mnangagwa.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Air Commodore Dr Jasper Chimedza led the Zimbabwean delegation to the exhibition.

The team included officials from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, innovation hubs from the University of Zimbabwe and the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT).

There was also space for upto 10 local private pharmaceutical manufacturers.

“It was indeed an eye opener for the delegation as we set off to drive our medicinal consumables export thrust as set out by His Excellency The President,” said Air Commodore Chimedza.

“The exhibition gave us a rare opportunity to show to the world where we are in terms of medicinal production.

“Our team, both from the public and private sector, also got an opportunity to establish and cultivate synergies and mutually beneficial collaborations with the best companies in medical equipment manufacturing.

“One hopes that the team will pickup and pursue the important links established for the benefit of our national vision,” he said.

Air Commodore Chimedza said also exhibiting with the Zimbabwe delegation and hoping to clinch synergies with global medical industry pace setters as well as establish a key clientele for its already existing product portfolio was the National Biotechnology Authority and the recently launched Cannabis Association of Zimbabwe.

He explained that the emphasis on a strong private sector participation was informed by The President’s vision to foster economic development through private sector led growth.

“With Zimbabwe being a global leader on healthcare human resources and clinical practice we also exhibited our strength in specialties such as anaesthesia, surgery, radiology, laboratory science and pharmacy,” said Dr Chimedza.

“With over 3 000 exhibitors taking part in the event and it being the biggest ever by exhibitor registration, we are confident that we were at an expo that gave us real value and a pedestal to push the national development strategy as set by His Excellency The President,” he said.

Among the private sector pharmaceutical companies that participated was Datlabs, Caps, Cospharm, Graniteside Chemicals, Gulf Drug, Varichem, Pharmanova, Plus Five, SAPPS and Zimbabwe Pharmaceuticals.