Accra, Ghana — Ghana is positioning itself as a leading destination for pharmaceutical manufacturing, healthcare investment, and medical innovation in West Africa as government and industry leaders push for greater regional self-reliance in health systems and supply chains.
The ambition was highlighted at the 5th West Africa Pharma & Healthcare Expo 2026, held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), where policymakers, healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, investors, and development partners gathered to discuss the future of healthcare on the continent.
Delivering a speech on behalf of the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Dr. Hafiz Adam Taher said government is implementing a bold health transformation agenda that links healthcare delivery directly to economic growth, investment, and national development.
“The government of Ghana is pursuing a transformation agenda that ensures no Ghanaian is denied access to quality healthcare because of income, location, or circumstance,” he said.
According to him, flagship initiatives such as the Free Primary Healthcare Programme and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares) remain central to efforts to expand healthcare access and advance universal health coverage.
Dr. Taher said Ghana is also actively seeking investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing, vaccine production, medical infrastructure, diagnostics, and healthcare innovation to reduce dependence on imported medical products and strengthen health security.
“Ghana is open for business in the health sector,” he told participants.
He noted that lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the risks of overreliance on external sources for vaccines, medicines, and medical technologies, stressing the need to build stronger local and regional production capacity.
Growing Opportunities in West Africa
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Praveen Singh, representative of ACE Group, described Ghana as one of the most dynamic healthcare and pharmaceutical markets in West Africa.
Mr. Praveen Singh, representative of ACE Group
He said rising healthcare awareness, expanding hospital infrastructure, population growth, and increasing demand for quality medicines, diagnostics, laboratory equipment, and healthcare technologies are creating significant opportunities for investment and international partnerships.
“Ghana imports a substantial volume of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, laboratory equipment, healthcare technologies, and hospital supplies every year, creating immense opportunities for technology transfer, local manufacturing, strategic partnerships, and investment,” he said.
Mr. Singh noted that the healthcare sector remains one of the most promising industries not only in Ghana but across the wider West African region.
Expo Strengthens Regional Industry Platform
He said the West Africa Pharma & Healthcare Expo has evolved into one of the leading pharmaceutical and healthcare exhibitions in the region.
“What started as a modest initiative has grown into a recognised international platform attracting participants from across the world,” he said.
Mr. Singh attributed the growth of the expo to a philosophy of continuous improvement.
“People often ask us who our competitors are. My answer has always been very simple. We do not see anyone as our competitor. Our biggest competitor is ourselves,” he said.
He added that organisers are focused on improving exhibitor quality, attracting more professional visitors, expanding business opportunities, promoting innovation, and delivering greater value to industry stakeholders each year.
Expanding Across Emerging Markets
The success of the expo has encouraged ACE Group and Astrovision Global to expand similar healthcare trade platforms across emerging markets.
Mr. Singh revealed that the organisations currently organise pharmaceutical and healthcare exhibitions in South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Malaysia, and the Philippines, with planned expansion into Zimbabwe later this year and Botswana in 2027.
“We are proud to be among the few organisers exclusively focused on creating strong international healthcare and pharmaceutical trade platforms across emerging markets,” he said.
Industry stakeholders at the expo emphasised that stronger collaboration between governments, investors, manufacturers, healthcare providers, and development partners will be critical to building resilient health systems and accelerating Africa’s transition from a net importer of medical products to a global producer and innovator.
The three-day exhibition features business-to-business meetings, policy dialogues, product showcases, investment forums, and networking opportunities aimed at strengthening healthcare value chains across West Africa.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
