The urgent need to secure Africa’s health supply chains will take centre stage in Accra as the African Healthcare Manufacturing Trade Exhibition and Conference (AHMTEC 2025) prepares to convene the continent’s top industry leaders.
Hosted by the Federation of African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (FAPMA) and Vizuri Health Dynamics, AHMTEC 2025 will be held from 7 to 9 October at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
Under the theme “Collaborate to Compete: Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Growth,” the conference is set to drive an Africa-led shift from dependency on imports to manufacturing self-reliance. It follows a successful inaugural event and will feature:
• Over 200 delegates.
• 46 speakers.
• Representatives from 111 organisations across 26 countries.
Ghanaian manufacturers and stakeholders will be central to the event, aligning with the Government of Ghana’s Agenda for Jobs and its strategic goal of becoming a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub for West Africa.
The Critical Case for African Health Manufacturing
African health systems are increasingly vulnerable due to disrupted global supply chains, dwindling donor support, and an overwhelming reliance on imported medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics. Currently, African manufacturers supply less than \mathbf{30\%} of the medicines consumed on the continent.
“This is a life-threatening vulnerability, not just a market imbalance,” says Dr. Skhumbuzo Ngozwana, FAPMA Board Member. “We are past the wake-up call. Our people’s lives depend on how quickly we move toward manufacturing self-reliance, and AHMTEC is the platform to drive that transformation.”
Ghana is tackling this challenge head-on through initiatives like the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan and support for the African Medicines Agency (AMA). Hosting AHMTEC is considered a key strategy for success.
A Manufacturer-Led Agenda
AHMTEC’s agenda has been designed with and for African manufacturers, distinguishing it from traditional health sector conferences. Every session and panel is geared toward delivering practical solutions for:
• Building competitive, financially viable manufacturing businesses.
• Creating supportive policies, incentives, and investment.
The conference will also host a trade exhibition, investor-readiness workshops, visits to Ghanaian manufacturing facilities, and targeted networking opportunities. This comprehensive approach is designed to foster tangible deals and partnerships that accelerate manufacturing capacity, product development, and Africa’s long-term health future.
“AHMTEC isn’t about speeches. It’s for manufacturers who are ready to grow,” said Dr. Mariatou Tala Jallow, Council Chair of Vizuri Health Dynamics. “With Africa’s healthcare manufacturing at a crossroads, we either continue to wait for help or we actively build the systems ourselves, starting at AHMTEC.”
Event Highlight: Launch of Africa’s First Manufacturing Data Dashboard
A major highlight of AHMTEC 2025 will be the debut of AMMINA—the African Manufacturing Market Intelligence and Network Analysis.
By Kingsley Asiedu
Source: newsghana.com.gh
