Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency (EPSA), the state agency in charge distributing medicines and medical equipment to state health centers, said it has spent 16.5 billion Birr (about $450 million) last year concluded July 7, 2020.
This is indicated today by the Director General of Agency Dr. Abdulkadir Gelgello, during a meeting with the employees of the Agency in the capital, Addis Ababa. The Director also indicated that this year the Agency has planned to purchase and distribute close to 7.2 billion Birr (about $196.2 million) worth pharmaceutical products.
During the meeting he stressed that supplying lifesaving basic medicines will be major activity of the Agency. Modernizing its supply chain, the Agency will be working to make sure that the right medicine reaches where it is needed on time, according to Dr. Abdulkadir, quoted on the Agency’s news disseminated on social media page an hour ago.
Ethiopia imports most of pharmaceutical products. The spending of the country on import of medicines has been growing over the past few years from some around $300 million two years ago to $450 million last year. Reports show that currency there are close to 30 drug manufacturing companies in Ethiopia meeting around 15 percent of the total medicine demand of the country.