SA agrees to establish an inspection centre for pharmaceutical products from Zim

South Africa has agreed to establish an inspection centre for pharmaceutical products from Zimbabwe at Beitbridge Border Post, The Sunday Mail reported.

In an interview, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the measure would reduce exorbitant costs Zimbabwe incurred when exporting.

"The country is facing high costs of exporting pharmaceutical products to South Africa because the only route we use to access the SA markets is Oliver Tambo International Airport," he said.

"Our earnings from pharmaceutical exports to South Africa have declined by 45 percent since the introduction of a one-route policy at Oliver Tambo (International Airport) in 2007.

Dr Mombeshora said due to high air transport costs, Zimbabwean pharmaceutical products exported to South Africa cost 10 times more than those manufactured in that country.

However, with the establishment of the inspection centre, it was expected prices of pharmaceutical products would be competitive, Dr Mombeshora said.
"The new resolution will reduce the transport costs on exporting our pharmaceutical products to SA and also reduce the prices of the products," he said.