|
Zimbabwe Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q4 2008 (Business Monitor International) Market: Healthcare and Medical Published Date: 10/11/2008 Market Research Report Title: Zimbabwe Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q4 2008 Table of Contents: View Table of Contents Report Type: Market Report Country: Zimbabwe Number of Pages: 66 
|
Enquire about Report |
Summary: In the BMI Business Environment Ranking matrix for Q408, Zimbabwe remains firmly at the bottom of the 15 markets surveyed in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, which now include Algeria and Kenya. In global terms, Zimbabwe also ranks last out of the 65 pharmaceutical markets surveyed by BMI, indicating that the country continues to offer least opportunities to pharmaceutical players due to ongoing political and economic problems. We have only forecast Zimbabwe’s pharmaceutical values through to 2010, as making an assessment over a longer term than that may be considered an unviable exercise. For the 2008-2010 period, we expect that the market will be mostly supplied by donations and counterfeit medicines, with very little imports being made at full price. In 2010, the market is expected to fall to under US$4mn in value, from an estimated US$4.5mn in 2007.
Additionally, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) recently estimated that manufacturing output contracted by 28% in 2007, following an 18% drop in 2006. On average, CZI indicated that manufacturing capacity utilisation was below 20% at the end of 2007, with a number of its members reporting that their plants were completely idle. However, it is questionable whether medicine producers would choose to meet demand if they could, since controlled medicine prices in a climate of hyperinflation has made production for the domestic market uneconomical. Shortages of medicines are expected to be exacerbated by the August 2008 closure of all but two border crossings to pharmaceutical and medical device imports, allegedly imposed to curb counterfeit trade.
Moreover, in August 2008, a nationwide strike by government doctors, who are seeking to put a stop to an erosion of wages by rampant inflation, has added to the woes of the country’s healthcare system. The strike is just a latest in a series of protests in last months. The situation is already dire, with public healthcare provision crippled by the acute shortages of medical staff, pharmaceuticals as well as equipment. In the meantime, the private sector is unable to fill the gap, as the majority of the population is unable to absorb the increase in fees charged for services, which are often also demanded in foreign currency.
Other industrial sectors are also facing difficult times. According to a recent report in the Zimbabwe Herald, from the beginning of August 2008, the government imposed a 12-month ban on the export of a number of basic commodities, including beans, cooking oil, milk and flour, in an effort to alleviate domestic shortages. However, such moves are only likely to worsen foreign currency shortages, further exacerbating domestic economic woes, with no improvement to be expected until the political issues have been resolved.
Reports are normally delivered on the same day, via email, if purchased by debit/credit card. Reports purchased by invoice will be released when payment has been received. When you place an order through Google Checkout, Google Checkout will display a price approximation in your local currency. Keep in mind that you'll still be charged in the currency displayed on companiesandmarkets.com. Your debit/credit card company might convert the charge to your local currency and may also add additional fees that are not reflected in the approximate price displayed.
www.companiesandmarkets.com is a central source of market research reports from the world’s leading analysts and report publishers. Companiesandmarkets.com contains a comprehensive range of specialised market research reports from leading publishers for all market sectors.
