Pharco Pharmaceuticals, founded in 1983 by Dr. Hassan Abbas Helmy, is one of Egypt's major pharmaceutical firms. It produces a wide range of medications under the Pharco brand and distributes them in over 50 countries.
In 2019 alone, the company sold 750 million medicine packages globally. Some of its key products include Acne Zinc for skin treatment, Alambuphine for fever relief, and Alfatral, used in the treatment of urinary tract infections.
On Thursday, President Paul Kagame met with a delegation from Pharco Pharmaceuticals, led by its CEO, Dr. Sherine Abbas Helmy. The discussions were also attended by Rwanda's Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana.
According to Village Urugwiro, the meeting focused on identifying areas of collaboration between Rwanda and the pharmaceutical firm, particularly in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.
Before meeting President Kagame, Dr. Sherine Abbas Helmy and his delegation also held discussions with Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
Following the meeting, RDB stated, 'The discussions explored opportunities to expand access to essential medicines, conduct clinical trials, and establish local pharmaceutical manufacturing.'
Rwanda has been making significant investments in its healthcare sector, aiming to improve medical services and modernize healthcare infrastructure. These efforts seek to reduce the number of Rwandans seeking medical treatment abroad while attracting international patients to the country's healthcare facilities.
If the pharmaceutical factory project is launched, it will complement Rwanda's ongoing initiative to establish a vaccine manufacturing plant in partnership with Germany's BioNTech.
Additionally, in November, RDB signed an agreement with Bio Usawa Inc. to build a pharmaceutical plant specializing in the production of treatments for severe eye diseases, including those affecting diabetic patients.
IGIHE
