A new pharmaceutical factory with a total investment of $30 million has been established in Herat Industrial Park, with its first phase officially inaugurated on Monday.
The first phase of the Dem Pharma factory was completed for $15 million and inaugurated at a ceremony attended by Noor Jalal Jalali, Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, along with other officials and private-sector representatives.
During the ceremony, the foundation stone for the factory’s second phase was also laid. The second phase is expected to be constructed with an additional $15 million in investment.
Speaking at the ceremony, Public Health Minister Noor Jalal Jalali said investment in domestic pharmaceutical production is an essential need for Afghanistan. He said the development of the pharmaceutical industry could help reduce the country’s dependence on imported medicines.
Jalali added that, alongside the construction of healthcare facilities across the country, expanding domestic medicine production could also play an important role in strengthening Afghanistan’s healthcare sector.
Mohammad Hossain Mohammadi, Development Manager of Dem Pharma, said the company plans to invest a total of $30 million in the factory and produce around 300 types of medicines.
According to Mohammadi, the factory is expected to create direct employment opportunities for approximately 200 people once it becomes fully operational.
Factory officials said the facility has been constructed and equipped in accordance with international standards. They added that the company aims not only to meet part of the domestic demand for medicines but also to export some of its pharmaceutical products to neighboring countries in the future.
The launch of Dem Pharma marks a new investment in Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector and is expected to expand the country’s domestic capacity to produce medicines as the second phase becomes operational.
