Kenyan Pharmaceutical Industry Can Expect Significant Growth Despite Global Conditions, Finds Frost & Sullivan

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Expanding therapeutic areas are creating significant opportunities for growth within the Kenyan pharmaceutical industry. Although infectious diseases are still responsible for the largest burden of disease in Kenya, non-communicable diseases are becoming a major problem, with the incidence of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer increasing rapidly.

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New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (www.pharma.frost.com), Strategic Analysis of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Kenya, finds that the market earned US$208.6 million in 2007 and estimates this to reach US$557.8 million in 2014. The analysis covered generic pharmaceuticals, branded pharmaceuticals, anti-diabetic pharmaceuticals, oncology pharmaceuticals, cardiovascular pharmaceuticals and anti-infective pharmaceuticals.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides a brief synopsis of the research and a table of contents, then send an e-mail to Patrick Cairns, Corporate Communications, at patrick.cairns@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country. Upon receipt of the above information, a brochure will be sent to you by e-mail.

“The prevalence of diabetes is reported to be between 6 and 10 per cent, and an estimated 3.5 million people suffer from diabetes in Kenya,” notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Jolize Gerber. “The number of diagnosed cases in 2007 was over two million, of which approximately 1.8 million were reported to be type II diabetics. The anti-diabetic pharmaceutical market in Kenya earned revenues of US$18.0 million in 2007 and is estimated to reach US$29.0 million in 2014.”

This heightened prevalence of type II diabetes is due to rapid changes in culture, an aging population, increasing urbanisation, dietary changes and the rise of sedentary lifestyles.

The Kenyan Ministry of Health is currently developing a comprehensive control programme for diabetes. Part of this treatment programme consists of raising awareness on the symptoms of diabetes and mobilising the population to visit diabetes clinics. This would ultimately improve the ratio of diagnosed cases, fuelling the growth of anti-diabetic treatments.

“Thirty nine main clinics and 113 mini clinics have been set up by the DMI and MoH in recent years,” says Gerber. “However, there remains a pressing need to provide good quality but affordable anti-diabetic medication to these clinics as well as to private hospitals.”

A key restraint in this market is, however, the prevailing poverty and illiteracy in Kenya. The population also has limited access to health facilities. This has led to 42.6 per cent of diabetic cases being undiagnosed, and hence, left untreated, causing these patients to develop secondary complications.

“The lack of stringent control measures has also led to the continued presence of counterfeit and substandard medications in the Kenyan market,” states Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Jolize Gerber. “However, stricter enforcement of regulations, growth of the generic pharmaceuticals market and expansion of public treatment programmes will fuel future growth of the pharmaceutical industry.”

Strategic Analysis of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Kenya is part of the Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology Growth Partnership Service programme, which also includes research in the following markets: Strategic Analysis of the Healthcare Industry in Kenya, Strategic Analysis of Oncology Services in Key Sub-Saharan African Countries, Infectious Disease Pharmaceutical Markets in key Sub-Saharan African countries and Strategic Analysis of the Healthcare Industry in Tanzania. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. Interviews with the press are available.

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Strategic Analysis of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Kenya M34B Contact: Patrick Cairns Corporate Communications - Africa P: +27-18-468-2315 E: patrick.cairns@frost.com

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Source: Frost & Sullivan

Patrick Cairns, Corporate Communications - Africa of Frost & Sullivan, +27-18-468-2315, patrick.cairns at frost.com. Photo: https://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO