In April 2021, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi inaugurated « Gypto Pharma City », a pharmaceutical city project that began seven years ago. Also known as « Medicine City », it is the largest pharmaceutical city in the Middle East, with an area of 180,000 square meters. Gypto Pharma is a regional and national initiative and is part of Egypt's ongoing health and medical care initiatives.
Ensuring a reliable and high-quality health care system
Created in order to produce « safe and effective medicines » at « fair prices », the Medecine City laboratories will manufacture and produce vitamins and medicines for chronic diseases, as well as treatments, including those related to Covid-19. Located in the city of Al-Khankah in Qalyubia province, the new pharmaceutical city aims to increase « cooperation between the state and the private sector » to « transform Egypt into a regional center for the pharmaceutical industry in the Middle East ». More precisely, Gypto Pharma is divided into two « very large » factories, which include « twenty production lines » where all pharmaceutical products required in the country are manufactured and packaged : tablets, capsules, effervescents, pharmaceutical syrups, creams, ampoules, vials, solutions, ophthalmic and anesthetic medicines, etc.
The project also includes two stages of production: first, a « regional medicine manufacturing center » and research and development laboratories, which cooperate with international companies. The city would like to export its products throughout the Middle East, but also to Africa and Europe : Egypt is aiming to export 25% to 30% of its production in the future. Then, in a second phase of development, the city will produce « specialized » medicines, particularly those for cancer treatment, always at an affordable price for the Egyptian population. With Gypto Pharma, Egyptian citizens will be able to receive safe and quality treatments, thanks to the certification of the « GMP » (Good Manufacturing Practices) notion, which also prevents any counterfeiting, and always at fair prices, which are made feasible by a control of medicine prices and by a ban on « any monopolistic practice ».
High scientific level and advanced technologies
Gypto Pharma is a true representation of Egypt's scientific and technological development. It uses the latest technologies and automated machines, which guarantee the « highest quality production » : the machines are « self-cleaning » and allow the production process to be active at all times, without any interruption. In addition, these machines are manufactured by the largest specialized American and European companies, which guarantees their quality. In order to ensure this production, but above all, the quality of the products, Egypt has focused on the efficiency of its factories, specially created for Gypto Pharma. Thus, these factories are based on advanced development and elaborate scientific methods, in order to satisfy the international criteria and conformities, especially those of the European Union and the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to Bassam Rady, the presidency's representative, « 97% of the medicine needs » of the Egyptian population are produced by the country. Providing better quality medicines that answer to more and more specific medical needs is therefore an integral part of the Egyptian government's health strategy, which does not hesitate to modernize its medical facilities. For President al-Sissi, Egypt must « have the capacity to produce medicines at the highest level », a fact he emphasized during the city's inauguration speech, adding that the antibiotic produced at Gypto Pharma « will be as effective as its counterparts in the world's most prestigious countries ».
Set to become a regional hub, Gypto Pharma hopes to attract major international pharmaceutical companies and to become one of the leading producing countries in the global pharmaceutical and vaccine industry. In time, the city is expected to include « 160 production lines for 150 types of medicines ». The first phase targets a production capacity to include nearly « 150 million medicine packages per year ».
Contact Rania Khedhir, Senior Consultant in charge of recruitments in Healthcare for Morgan Philips Executive Search, Africa & Middle-East.
Sitography :
« Egypt Inaugurated Gypto Pharma, the Largest Pharma City in the Middle East and Africa », Healthcare Business Club, HBC Editors, published on 02/04/2021, available here.
« Egypt's president inaugurates Gypto Pharma City, gets briefed on pharmaceuticals status », Egypt today, published on 01/04/2021, available here.
« L’Égypte ouvre la plus grande ville pharmaceutique du Moyen-Orient », par Mohammed Abu Zaid, ArabNews, published on 02/04/2021, available here.
« Le Président Al-Sissi inaugure la cité de médicament « Gypto pharma » à Al-Khanka », site officiel de l’Organisme Général de l’Information du gouvernement égyptien, published on 03/04/2021 at 09h22, available here
« Sisi inaugurates Medicine City in Khanka to boost Egypt’s pharmaceutical industry », Egypt Independent, published on 01/04/2021 at 17h12, available here.