India's drug lifeline to Africa disrupted by Iran war

Africa carries a large share of global disease burden, including high levels of HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. India supplies about 40% of Africa’s imported medicines and is the continent’s largest pharmaceutical trade partner. Indian generic drugs support public healthcare across countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, providing low-cost antibiotics, antiretrovirals, malaria and tuberculosis medicines, insulin, blood pressure drugs, and painkillers. The supply chain has relied on efficient logistics corridors moving medicines from Indian manufacturing hubs through Gulf cargo centers like Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi to African ports and airports. The network also routes pharmaceutical ingredients from China and Europe. Disruption to Gulf shipping routes and higher war-risk premiums have increased freight costs and threatened delivery reliability.

"India supplies roughly 40% of Africa's imported medicines, making it the continent's largest pharmaceutical trade partner. From Nigeria to Kenya and South Africa, Indian generic drugs form the backbone of public healthcare systems. Across the continent, they provide low-cost antibiotics, HIV antiretrovirals, malaria and tuberculosis drugs, insulin, blood pressure medicines and common painkillers used daily by millions."

"Drugs manufactured in Indian hubs such as Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Mumbai routinely passed through Gulf cargo centers in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi before reaching African ports and airports. Pharmaceutical ingredients sourced from China and Europe also move through the same network. The drugs pass through Gulf hubs for state-of-the-art logistics needed for temperature- and climate-sensitive drugs like certain vaccines."

"Logistics hubs in the Gulf also have more capacity to organize large shipments originating in India and heading to African markets. The system depends on predictable shipping schedules, relatively cheap freight and stable Gulf transit routes. But with the Iran war choking off the Strait of Hormuz, commercial shipping from the Gulf has been disrupted, while war-risk premiums have risen, freight costs have climbed and airlines have r"

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