Ethiopia now produces 36% of its drugs and medical supplies domestically, the country's Minister of Health, Mekdes Daba, said at the Ethiopian Council of Ministers' 100-day performance review of the current Ethiopian fiscal year.
According to the minister, the achievements in modernizing and expanding the country's health services have led to improvements in healthcare services for mothers, children, and infants.
The "Made in Ethiopia" national movement, which has been implemented over the past two years to promote domestic manufacturing productivity, has also made a significant impact on increasing the local production of drugs and other medical supplies, Daba noted.
In the last 100 days only, two pharmaceutical companies have started operations in Ethiopia and are now manufacturing medicines, she said.
During the meeting, Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh said that Ethiopia is striving to decrease its dependence on foreign aid by utilizing its natural resources.