Tanzania has 700 pharmacists, 300 pharmaceutical technicians, 250 pharmaceutical assistants and a Pharmacist per population ratio of 1:50,000. Most of the pharmaceutical production concentrates on less sophisticated medicines such as simple antibiotics, cough and cold preparations, analgesics and antipyretics, sedatives, nutraceuticals, anthelmintics and antimalarials. More technologically sophisticated pharmaceutical products like IV fluids, indictable, and more advanced antibiotics like cepholosporins are not produced by local industries, which still lack that competence. However, TPI currently produces ARVs and Shelys is planning to start ARV production.

Pharmaceutical products from India dominate the share of drugs in the local market registered by the Tanzania food and rugs administration. Most (53.4%) registered essential medicines in 2008 were from India, followed by Kenya (10.3%), and with the locally produced drugs at 10% of those registered. Notably registration does not automatically translate into the volume of drugs produced or imported, explaining the difference with the 30% share of drug requirements from local production.

Indian companies used to export to Africa through European companies such as Mission Pharma, Helm, Troge, but now it export directly to Africa through local logistics partner (usually local importers/distributors, country managers or medical representatives)[1].

[1] Tanzania Health System Assessment 2010 Report, USAID, July 2011, p. XVII.