Talking about New Economic Opportunities in China： From Import to ＂Made in Africa＂ —— China pharmaceutical companies help the sustainable development of Mali’s pharmaceutical industry.
Xinhua News Agency, Dakar, April 25th Communication: From Import to "Made in Africa" — — China pharmaceutical companies help the sustainable development of Mali pharmaceutical industry.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Zizheng
Clean modern factory building, clear division of labor operation area and high-speed production line … … In the factory building of Renfu African Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Renfu African Pharmaceutical") located in Bamako, the capital of Mali, a West African country, Pascal, a local employee, is inspecting production posts and sampling semi-finished products to ensure the safe operation of all aspects of production.
Pascal, a local employee, is testing equipment in the Renfu Africa Pharmaceutical Factory in Bamako, the capital of Mali (photo taken on April 3, 2023). Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Renfu Africa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)
In 2015, Renfu African Pharmaceutical was completed and put into operation in Bamako. As one of the earliest pharmaceutical companies that responded to the "Belt and Road Initiative", Renfu Africa Pharmaceutical became the first localized pharmaceutical factory in Mali and the most modern pharmaceutical factory with the highest construction standards in West Africa.
Prior to this, Mali’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry was almost blank, and most of the pharmaceutical market was monopolized by expensive imported drugs. It was normal for the people to lack medical care and medicine. In 2013, Renfu Pharmaceutical and china-africa development fund jointly invested 350 million yuan to establish Renfu African Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in Bamako, which brought dawn to the local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
Ibrahim keita, the former president of Mali, once commented: "The people of Jeanmarie, a China pharmaceutical factory, benefited and helped us to acquire the ability to produce drugs independently, ending the history that Mali could not produce drugs."
In the Renfu African Pharmaceutical Factory in Bamako, the capital of Mali, workers test equipment (photo taken on April 3, 2023). Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Renfu Africa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)
Li Wensheng, chairman of Renfu African Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., said in an interview: "After years of operation and hard work, we have not only ensured the accessibility of drugs, but also ensured the sustainability of enterprises in terms of economic and social benefits."
This modern pharmaceutical factory adopts fully automatic production equipment, and completely adopts domestic pharmaceutical factory standards from design, construction to production technology. "Now our drugs are sold to all French-speaking countries in West Africa, occupying the mainstream drug market in the region." Li Wensheng said.
Pascal was originally a construction worker. After being hired by Renfu African Pharmaceutical, he studied equipment operation knowledge, improved his work skills and learned Chinese, and gradually moved from a grass-roots operator to a middle-level management position. Today, there are nearly 200 local employees like Pascal. Renfu African Pharmaceutical Company pays attention to localized operation and has trained a large number of industrial technical workers and management talents for the company and society.
"At present, the localization ratio of the factory has reached 95%, and the production operation posts and grass-roots management posts have been 100% localized, effectively realizing the drug ‘ Made in Mali ’ 。” Li Wensheng said.
The investment and construction of Renfu African Pharmaceutical not only improved the local pharmaceutical level, but also promoted the development of the industrial chain. "In the past, our factory was located in a wasteland, but now many factories have been established here. The demand for upstream and downstream supply chains of products has driven the improvement of local industrialization level. " Li Wensheng said.
After more than ten years of intensive cultivation in the pharmaceutical industry in Africa, Li Wensheng said, "I hope that through our efforts, we can provide more high-quality and low-priced drugs for the local people and provide protection for the health of the people in the whole West Africa."
Pascal has been working in Renfu African pharmaceutical industry for 8 years, where he has learned knowledge and skills, gained a stable income and got a better and better life. "Human happiness brings us not only a stable income and a dignified life, but more importantly, hope." He said.