Senegal is stepping up efforts to reduce Africa’s dependence on imported medicines with a $7.1 million pharmaceutical project producing a locally manufactured generic treatment for sickle cell disease and targeting six African markets as production expands.
Teranga Pharma, a Senegalese pharmaceutical company, manufactures the treatment, branded Drepaf, at its facility in Senegal. The company launched the medicine in November 2025 and is now expanding production and its regional ambitions as demand for locally produced sickle cell treatment grows.
The development comes against a stark health and industrial imbalance. Nearly 80 percent of the world’s sickle cell disease cases occur in Africa, yet the continent has historically depended heavily on medicines manufactured outside its borders.
That dependence leaves countries exposed to international supply disruptions, foreign exchange pressures, shipping costs and fluctuations in the prices of imported medicines.
Drepaf is a generic form of hydroxyurea, a medicine recommended for the management of sickle cell disease. Hydroxyurea can reduce painful crises, hospital admissions and blood transfusion requirements, while improving long-term outcomes for patients.
Teranga Pharma produces Drepaf in 500mg tablets for adults and 100mg tablets for children, giving the company a product range designed to serve different patient groups.
The company’s immediate regional focus includes Burkina Faso, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire, while requests have also been received from the Democratic Republic of Congo,…
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Read Full Article by Royal Ibeh at businessday.ng
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