Establishing footprints in a foreign land can be a tedious task but Dhananjay Tripathi – an Indian national, is determined to use his background in pharmacy to expand the pharmaceutical industry in Ghana.
He has established two pharmaceutical companies in the country and has plans to expand to other countries in Africa.
Speaking with Nana Yaa Mensah on Sunday Night on Asaase, Tripathi said he felt that there is something he could do to support Ghana hence his decision to stay in the country.
“There is so much to be done in the country, especially in our sector. I realised that this country is lagging behind in this area [pharmaceutical industry] but with my experience in the Indian manufacturing industry, I thought I can do something better here for the people of the country.”
“Our first company Pharmanova, we’re producing a lot of life-saving drugs…so I can say that there were a lot of things that were very exciting, challenging and I found out that I can do something here in the country,” he said.
Tripathi said with the advent of the AFCFTA he hopes to expand first, to the rest of the ECOWAS sub-region and then to the whole African continent.
He said, “Our capacity exceeds the national needs so now we are looking at the ECOWAS sub-region … and I also believe that in good time we will be able to go beyond ECOWAS.
“I can say that things are changing now, even coming up with the continental free trade that is also a kind of encouragement among the countries now and hoping we’ll collaborate with others so that we can expand. I can see that the market is opening up gradually. “
Tripathi said, “We have a factory in Osu where we produce tablets, capsules and syrups. We have a plan to expand that plant. We are looking forward to producing penicillin and others. We are planning to produce amoxicillin, cloxacillin, flucloxacillin and Amoxyclav injections in Ghana. Maybe that will be the next venture we will be entering by 2024 because that is one area that I see that we are behind as a continent.”
Restrict importation of infusion
He called on the government to support the local pharmaceutical industry by restricting the importation of infusions for example, so that, that sector will grow to support Ghana’s development.
Tripathi mentioned Nigeria as a country that has adopted protectionist modules in relation to pharmaceutical products to grow and establish that sector.
“I will say that we have to be a little protective because we have to look at our industries. Currently, there are four companies that are operating in the infusion sector and the fifth is also coming, so that looks like it will not be fair to still have a product that is being imported; at the end of the day, this is water and why should we import water?
“So we have to see how best we can support local companies … I think it will best to restrict the importation of infusion so that the local companies can survive,” he added.
Watch the full interview:
Background
Dhananjay Tripathi is a pharmacist by training — an important profession, but you will probably be more familiar with his impact beyond the average chemist’s shop.
He describes himself as an entrepreneur by calling, one who is innovative and results-oriented. That mindset led him to establish two of the biggest players in Ghana’s privately owned pharmaceuticals sector: Pharmanova, based in Osu, Accra, and Atlantic Life Sciences, his new business on the outskirts of Old Ningo in the Greater Accra Region.
In 2017, Pharmanova was described as employing 20 people and having a turnover of roughly US$3 million.
That year, it registered its interest with the state-run One District, One Factory initiative, which aims to restore and expand Ghana’s industrial base. Out of that grew Atlantic Life Sciences.
With the establishment of the Atlantic Life operation, he anticipates that he will create up to 780 jobs with the company itself, when the factory becomes fully operational, as well as another 2,500 jobs indirectly.
The company imports and supplies anti-snake serum and anti-rabies vaccines in the West Africa sub-region and is particularly active in francophone West Africa.
The new sterile plant in Larkpleku commissioned under 1D1F will produce a range of products, including vaccines, anti-snake, anti-rabies, anti-tetanus and anti-gangrene treatments, eardrops, eyedrops and nasal drops, as well as inhalation anaesthesia products and generic syrups, tablets and capsules.
Built at a cost of US$35 million and opened by President Akufo-Addo in April this year, with one of the biggest manufacturing capacities in West Africa, it is a major new player in pharmaceuticals and could be a game-changer for the industry in Ghana.
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