PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has directed the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) to give priority to local medicine suppliers whenever there is a bid in order to grow the local pharmaceutical sector before looking outside.
The President made the directive when he commissioned the US$29 million expanded Yash Life Sciences ultra modern penicillin derivative manufacturing plant in Kafue yesterday.
The plant has capacity to produce 160 million tablets, 200 million capsules and 2.4 million bottles per month, with phase two expansion coming with an additional investment of US$45 million and unit II with US$30 million. 
An additional US$15 million will be injected in the expansion of the formulation and development project, according to Yash Life Sciences director Himanshu Patel.
