Vision for Cipharm: Pharmaceutical Company in Ivory Coast

Interview with Ibrahim Diawara, President and CEO of Cipharm

What is your assessment of 2014? How was the year for Cipharm??

2014 was a good year for Cipharm. We reached several of our goals. Our objective was 5 billion and we surpassed the bar of 5 billion that we aimed for. We now want to go even further and reach even better figures because the objective for 2020 is to reach 10 billion quickly. I mentioned this goal last time and I still aim towards it and I think that it is possible.

Can you tell us a bit about the projects that you have for this year that will help you reach this goal?

To reach 10 billion in 2020 we have to work even harder than we are now. That means we need to have some factors of even greater importance, such as medications that we have wanted to put out onto the market. We have split the factory into 3 parts; units 1 and 2 are the ones that are working already and where we are working on improving the products that we already produce. We are going to have new products to manufacture and we have the third unit that is going to deal with injectable products. Up until now, no company in the market was producing injectable medications apart from infusion solutions that are made by one company. We want to make not only infusion solutions but also injectable vials, and haemodialysis products. We think that by the end of 2015 we should have the first production stock. I estimate that by September 2015 we should have launched the first products.

These new products will allow you to increase your production capacity.

We are going to have a three month trial period. Thus we haven’t really taken into account the turnover that this third unit will generate. We have built our budget taking into account units 1 and 2. I think that full capacity will start in 2016. Above all what we need to keep in mind in 2016 is that we are not only going to try to conquer the local market, avoiding all of the losses that we suffer with the uncontrolled imports coming in from various countries, but we are also trying to conquer the neighbouring countries and to discuss with the wholesalers from Mali and Burkina Faso so that our products can be sold in those regions. In 2016 we hope to suitably and consistently produce all of the products that we have to put on the market, for example the infusion solutions whether glucose, saline or Ringer’s, injectable vials such as electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, calcium, etc.) and also the haemodialysis products. As you know, importing products for dialysis involves too much risk for a country that wants to be emerging in 2020. We want to follow the path of emergence that the head of state has put us on and we want to be present as such in 2020.

Could you tell us a bit more about the injectable products? Who are the buyers that they are targeting?

Our objective was 5 billion and we surpassed the bar of 5 billion that we aimed for. We now want to go even further and reach even better figures because the objective for 2020 is to reach 10 billion quickly.

There are three products as I mentioned earlier that are used in drips of infusion solutions. The injectable vials of calcium for example are used from the moment a patient enters the hospital dehydrated and unbalanced in terms of bodily fluids and who needs calcium, potassium, etc., to be able to get better. In the case of malaria, you know that oral treatment is not always enough and you need drips of quinine, etc., which is still the panacea in this case. In terms of haemodialysis products for renal failure, it is a real drama here when we have to import these products that are not hard to manufacture but that do demand machinery that is quite sophisticated. We are going to work in a hyper sterile atmosphere so we are going to have the right equipment.

Can you tell us a bit about the aspect of increasing knowledge and strengthening capacity?

All of these projects could not go ahead if we were not abiding to certain practices, that we call “good production practice”. We have always benefited from the input of our predecessors Sanofi, who have always trained our staff very well. However we have to continue to train and educate our staff so we have to strengthen our working skills in this area so that we can think about becoming certified by the WHO (World Health Organization) very soon.

What will the WHO certification signify?

The WHO certification will mean that we can be accepted for international bids. It will give us a quality certification that we will be able to sell wherever we are producing.

In 2014 we had the opportunity to benefit from the input of the UNIDO which is the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. We obtained 8000 euros that allowed us to benefit from classes given by an expert that came and formed two essential parts of our factory: quality control and quality assurance. These two parts are essential for good production practice. At the same time we benefited from the presence of this expert to put together 5 basic molecules. I have always spoken of the essential medications that we should develop in our country, coming somewhat from the WHO but also from the pharmacist that I am. These include products such as metronidazole, griseofulvin cream, debridat, etc. These are simple products that can help our population that is really in need.

What will the WHO certification signify?

The WHO certification will mean that we can be accepted for international bids. It will give us a quality certification that we will be able to sell wherever we are producing.

Any anti-inflammatory medicines?

Yes, anti-inflammatory and antihistamine medicines that could help benefit our population also.

Can you tell us a bit about the group of Cipharm agencies that are present all over francophone Africa?

Every year we meet up with members from each agency who are promoting our products in francophone Africa, which includes countries from Ivory Coast to Congo. We meet every year and this year the main theme was medical ethics and delegation. The larger laboratories have already started to train their members of staff to follow certain ethics within the scope of medical information. In large countries like Canada, United States and France, it is prohibited to offer free airline tickets to doctors for example. Our objective at Cipharm is to be a leader and when you want to be a leader you have to set a good example. I also think that it has to be a constant example. If we talk about morals, Cipharm wants to set a good example when it comes to fundraising, and we want to be a good example to our prescribers and to the authorities so that we can all work in a very legal environment. Thus, that is one of the main aims of these international seminars. The most recent one was held over 3 days in Yamoussoukro and allowed all of our delegates to become really familiar with our objectives and vision concerning medical delegations.

How many people from how many countries attend the seminar?

Approximately 40 people from 7 countries.