First generic medicines factory being set up in Afghanistan
The first medicines factory to be set up in Afghanistan since the civil unrest is due to start production in late October. Baz International Pharmaceutical Company will produce between 300m and 400m tablets a year of urgently needed medicines, such as antibiotics and analgesics.
The first medicines factory to be set up in Afghanistan since the civil unrest is due to start production in late October. Baz International Pharmaceutical Company will produce between 300m and 400m tablets a year of urgently needed medicines, such as antibiotics and analgesics.
The plant will be fully Afghan-owned and managed by Dr Karim Baz, an experienced local doctor. Approximately 40 local employees will be taught basic operating skills and production technology to allow them to be self-sufficient.
The Afghan Generic Medicines Project was launched in 2002 with the primary goal of constructing a pharmaceutical plant in Kabul to provide safe and effective generic medicines to the Afghan population. The project was launched by the Swiss non-profit organisation Business Humanitarian Forum (BHF), the Brussels-based European Generic Medicines Asso-ciation (EGA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Office in Afghanistan and brings together private and public partners.
Deutsche Post World Net joined the project with its express and logistics subsidiary DHL to provide comprehensive support by organising the logistics of the donated machinery and training of the local staff in storage and delivery methods.
The plant's equipment and materials, as well as pharmaceutical expertise and training are being do-nated by the European Generic Medicines Association (EGA), the official body representing roughly 500 pharmaceutical companies from the generic medicines industry in Europe. In September 2005, 14 Afghan technicians will be trained in EGA member companies in Europe in order to start production in Afghanistan by the end of October.
DHL used its core competencies in multi-modal transportation and logistics as well as customs and export regulations to deliver the shipments. The production machinery was shipped to the United Arab Emirates and has been flown by two cargo planes to its final destination in Kabul. DHL has also committed to additional post-delivery activities related to the logistics of distributing the medicines once the plant is operational.