Uganda - Health Uganda - Health
Overview
Uganda’s medical facilities are attracting U.S. investors, especially in private medical care and oncology. Uganda has a total of 19 sites licensed for the manufacture of medicines and health supplies, although only 11 of these are involved in commercial production of pharmaceuticals.
Challenges to developing the sector include the following:
Technology, machinery, and the associated high-skilled expertise are still sourced from outside Uganda.
Uganda’s pharmaceutical sector depends on importing active pharmaceutical ingredients and almost all excipients and some packaging materials.
Few Ugandan pharmaceutical manufacturers have automated production processes.
High operating costs for manufacturers relying on backup generators.
Few licensed cold and dry storage facilities to hold APIs prior to final production.
Opportunities
Equipment: With Uganda’s lack of medical infrastructure and large influx of donor support for health programs, demand for medical equipment continues to rise. Equipment in demand includes: record management equipment and systems, ultrasound, electrocardiographs, obstetric dopplers, pulse oximeters, ventilators, cardiac echo machines, treadmill stress machines, and lab equipment (including equipment needed for microbiology, hematology, chemistry, and histopathology).
Generic pharmaceutical manufacturing: Uganda still imports approximately 90 percent of its essential medicines and health supplies. Based on Uganda’s strong demand for medical services and the government’s favorable tax policies for manufacturing facilities, manufacturing generic pharmaceuticals remains a profitable opportunity for investors.