China Focus: Chinese pharmaceutical companies make inroads into Africa amid growing health cooperation

BEIJING, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- William Kwame Amakye, who hails from Ghana, typically spends 10 to 12 hours a day in a laboratory. As a postdoc research fellow at the South China University of Technology (SCUT), he is committed to acquiring knowledge and experience in China to advance his career.

"I worked in a clinic in Ghana as a nutritionist for two years, and one of the major challenges we face there is the high cost of medicine. Many of the drugs are imported, which drives up healthcare costs," said Amakye.

With the desire to do more to help patients in Ghana, Amakye found himself longing for further study in medicine and nutrition.

Thanks to a scholarship from the Chinese government, he came to China for the first time in 2014 and finished his postgraduate studies. In 2018, he continued to study for a doctoral degree in food science and engineering and then pursued a postdoc at SCUT in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

Amakye's experience amounts to one of the many forms of healthcare cooperation existing between China and Africa, which allow medical students, professionals and researchers from African nations to gain valuable training and expertise in China.

China and Africa share a longstanding history of health cooperation, marked by decades of collaborative efforts in medical assistance, healthcare training and public health initiatives.

In 1963, China dispatched its first medical team to Algeria. So far, the country has sent some 25,000 medical team members to 48 African countries, treating around 230 million patients and winning the hearts of the African people thanks to such dedication.

Moreover, China's pharmaceutical companies have significantly increased their efforts to expand into Africa, aiming to provide more affordable medicines and healthcare solutions to the continent.

Globally, in 2022, there were an estimated 249 million malaria cases and 608,000 malaria deaths, respectively, in 85 countries, according to the WHO. Africa was home to 94 percent of these malaria cases and suffered 95 percent of malaria deaths worldwide.

In Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, Chinese pharmaceutical giant Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical is constructing a manufacturing facility for antimalarial drugs and antibiotics, with the first phase set for completion in 2025.

Once all three phases are completed, the facility is projected to produce 5 billion tablets annually and create nearly 1,000 job opportunities in the Grand-Bassam area in east Abidjan, according to Fosun.

Fosun is part of a growing wave of Chinese pharmaceutical companies establishing manufacturing plants in Africa.

In most nations in sub-Saharan Africa, imports account for 70 to 90 percent of their drug consumption, which bumps up the cost of many pharmaceutical products and leaves citizens vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.

Chinese medical firm Jijia International Medical Technology on Oct. 7 this year signed a memorandum of understanding with Zambia's Industrial Development Corporation for the construction of an oral cholera vaccine plant in the country.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Han Jing in Lusaka.

Hichilema said the agreement will make Zambia the first African country to manufacture this cholera vaccine.

"This partnership will save lives, boost productivity, and serve humanity," he said.

"The implementation of this project will provide robust health protection for the people of Zambia, promote local employment, and enhance Zambia's emergency response capabilities in the face of a public health crisis," said Su Yonglin, deputy general manager of Jijia.

"The entry of Chinese pharmaceutical companies into Africa will help enhance the pharmaceutical supply capacity of host countries and improve local healthcare conditions. Additionally, it will elevate the pharmaceutical industry in these nations, reducing the cost of medicines while promoting the development of related industries," said Tian Muye, an assistant research fellow at the China-Africa Institute.

According to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027), China will continue to encourage and support Chinese private enterprises in investing in Africa's pharmaceutical industry.

"China-Africa cooperation in medicine and healthcare holds great potential. Africa presents both significant opportunities and challenges in healthcare delivery, areas where China has made substantial progress," said Ren Jiaoyan, a professor at SCUT.

"Meanwhile, China's large industrial base seeks broader markets, and Africa offers a dynamic market that can benefit both sides. This enables China and Africa to carry out mutually beneficial cooperation," Ren added.