Two local firms get EU boost to fight Covid-19
The European Union (EU) has given K160.5 million to two Malawian firms to increase their production capacity in medical and pharmaceutical Covid-19- related materials.
EU head of delegation Rune Skinnebach said this on Thursday in Lilongwe during a stakeholders engagement meeting under the Support Industrialisation and Productive Sectors (Sips) as part of the Fifth Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Industrialisation Week.
The two firms, Ethanol Company (EthCo) and Intelligent Monitoring Systems (iMoSys), have been granted 100 000 euros (K91.7 million) and 75 000 euros (K68.8 million), respectively..
after the meeting
Skinnebach said the EU is taking comprehensive action to tackle the destructive impact of Covid-19 in the region.
He noted that Africa imports 99 percent of its vaccines and more than 90 percent of all medicines and health technologies, making it a priority for the African continent to strengthen local manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.
“We are awarding a financial grant to Ethanol Company which will allow it to scaleup its production line and increase production of hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants from 2 000 litres to 7 200 litres a day,” said Skinnebach.
He said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the high demand for alcohol-based sanitisers in Malawi, EthCo extended their core business and built a production line for hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants to meet the local demand and reduce reliance on imports.
Skinnebach said iMoSys reacted swiftly to the “extreme shortages” of personal protective equipment (PPE) at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and adjusted its operations, venturing into the manufacturing of medical face shields.
He said the EU IS supporting iMoSys to expand the company’s production capacity of high-quality, affordable face shields for healthcare workers and for small and medium enterprises in critical sectors.
“The company targets to increase its production from 300 face shields a day to 700 face shields a day and it estimates this could create employment for 35 people of which 40 percent should be female,” said Skinnebach.
Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture Michael Usi commended the EU for the grants, saying Sadc needs to build capacity to address emerging challenges, including Covid-19.
He said: “Let me acknowledge the financial and technical support that Sadc receives from the European Union and German Government.
“Despite the pandemic, we need to demonstrate our solidarity for resilience even more, to stand strong together and continue to find ways to continue to develop our communities and defeat the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Usi said 14-country Sadc should be focused to improve the performance and growth of selected regional value chains and related services within the agro-processing and pharmaceutical sectors to contribute to the Sadc Industrialisation and regional integration agenda.
