Dr. Ali El-Ghamrawy, Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), participated in the opening ceremony of the Fourth Edition of the Africa Health ExCon, held under the patronage of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The event is organized by the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, Medical Supply and Technology Management (UPA) and is attended by a number of high-level officials, representatives of African and foreign countries, and delegates from international organizations.
In his opening remarks, Dr. El-Ghamrawy emphasized that Egypt's leadership in the fields of medicine and pharmacy spans more than seven thousand years, with roots extending back to the dawn of civilization. This exceptional heritage is embodied in ancient papyri, which constitute some of the earliest documented medical records and contain detailed descriptions of diseases and their corresponding therapeutic approaches.
He highlighted the renowned Ebers Papyrus, dating back more than 3,500 years, which contains 842 medical prescriptions addressing twenty different conditions, including ophthalmic diseases, parasitic infections, diabetes, and fertility regulation. He also referred to the Edwin Smith Papyrus, dating back over 3,000 years, which documents forty-eight highly sophisticated medical and surgical cases, reflecting the profound anatomical and medical knowledge possessed by the ancient Egyptians.
Dr. El-Ghamrawy noted that this historical legacy continues in the modern era, with the Egyptian pharmaceutical market representing the largest in Africa, with an estimated value of USD 6.2 billion. The market comprises more than 12,000 pharmaceutical products and records annual sales exceeding 3.5 billion units. Furthermore, it achieved a compound annual growth rate of 15% in 2023, surpassing global averages and accounting for more than 27% of the African pharmaceutical market, despite Egypt representing only 8% of the continent's population.
He stated that this position is underpinned by a robust industrial and regulatory infrastructure comprising 179 human pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, including 11 facilities accredited by internationally recognized reference organizations; 150 medical device manufacturing facilities; four biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities; 130 cosmetics manufacturing facilities; and five active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facilities. In addition, the sector includes approximately 2,370 production lines, of which 990 are dedicated to pharmaceutical products, more than
1,600 pharmaceutical distribution companies, and nearly 80,000 pharmacy establishments.
Dr. El-Ghamrawy added that these capabilities have enabled the Authority to place localization of pharmaceutical manufacturing and investment promotion at the forefront of its strategic priorities, with the objective of ensuring supply chain resilience and strengthening Egypt's pharmaceutical security. Egypt has successfully achieved a pharmaceutical self-sufficiency rate of 91%, the highest level recorded in the Middle East and Africa.
He further noted that the national localization strategy has already begun to yield tangible outcomes, as the import rate has been reduced by 3%, while the self-sufficiency ratio is targeted to reach 94% over the next three years through localization initiatives supported by the Authority.
Dr. El-Ghamrawy stressed that the African continent represents one of the world's richest regions in terms of investment opportunities. Nevertheless, the continent's trade deficit has reached 89%, while intra-African trade accounts for only 2% of total trade volumes, despite the continent's considerable potential. He pointed out that Egypt accounts for 52% of Africa's pharmaceutical exports, the majority of which are directed outside the continent, underscoring the urgent need to activate the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM) as a means of rebalancing intra-continental trade.
He further emphasized that Egyptian pharmaceutical products enjoy a distinguished global reputation in terms of quality and safety. Egypt has recently succeeded in gaining access to new markets across Africa, the Arab region, and Latin America, while actively expanding partnerships with several Asian and European countries as part of a national strategy aimed at strengthening pharmaceutical exports, which currently reach more than 150 countries worldwide.
He indicated that Egyptian pharmaceutical exports to the African continent increased by 37.7% in 2024 compared with 2023, representing a positive indicator of ongoing efforts to address trade imbalances within Africa. However, he noted that Egyptian exports remain more heavily oriented toward Asian and European markets than toward fellow African countries.
At the conclusion of his address, Dr. El-Ghamrawy announced that, on the sidelines of the conference, the Egyptian Drug Authority would sign a joint cooperation protocol with eight sister African countries—namely Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and South Africa, in addition to one of the continent's largest pharmaceutical markets—with a view to advancing mutual recognition of regulatory decisions and promoting regulatory harmonization. Such initiatives are expected to support the implementation of the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM).
He concluded by affirming that regulatory and industrial integration among African countries constitutes the pathway toward achieving a comprehensive pharmaceutical renaissance and empowering the continent to address its healthcare challenges through meaningful advances in local manufacturing capabilities and by ensuring the availability of safe and effective medicines for African populations.