Government is demanding more effective collaboration among stakeholders in the Pharmaceutical industry to help stem the influx of counterfeit drugs into the country.  It believes a strong pharmaceutical manufacturing base will among other things, help reduce this menace.  The Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama stated this in Accra yesterday at this years Pharmaceutical Day Celebration. 

The Vice President reiterated governments policies under the Trade and Investment Promotion Programme, TIPP, aimed at removing constraints to the development and promotion of locally manufactured drugs.  Alhaji Aliu revealed that though some locally manufactured drugs compare favourably with imported ones, these drugs meet only 30 percent of local requirements. 

He therefore called for more investments in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector to help bridge the gap.  The President of Pharmaceutical Manufactures Association of Ghana Dr. Michael Agyekum Addo, spoke against the negative perception of made in Ghana products and the competition from lower priced products from China and India.

He appealed for tax relief for some Pharmaceutical raw material and financial assistance from the Export Development and Investment Fund.