Health Ministry discusses reactivating and revitalizing the national pharmaceutical industry

Libya’s Tripoli based Ministry of Health is discussing reactivating the local pharmaceutical industry.

This came during the holding of the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the General Company for Pharmaceutical Industries and Medical Supplies yesterday at the Ministry of Health’s Tripoli headquarters, pursuant to General Assembly Resolution No. (1) of 2025.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing: a cornerstone of national health security
The Ministry reported that the meeting was dedicated to discussing an agenda aimed at expediting the reactivation and revitalization of the national pharmaceutical industry, considering it a cornerstone of national health security and a fundamental pillar for protecting citizens’ health.

Developing an implementation plan for Rabta plant
The meeting addressed the development of an implementation plan to commence drug production at the pharmaceutical formulations plant in Al-Rabta, in addition to discussing international agreements related to the pharmaceutical raw materials plant. This aims to contribute to local drug production, reduce the burden on the public treasury, and decrease reliance on imports.

The Board also discussed the situation of qualified administrative and financial staff and ways to support and empower them, ensuring the sustainability of operations and the success of the plan to reactivate national pharmaceutical factories. This, it added, aligns with the Ministry of Health’s direction to enhance pharmaceutical security and develop health industries in Libya.

Discussions with foreign states or companies to localise a pharma industry
It will be recalled that in December of last year the Ministry of Health and representatives from the Ministry of Economy, held a virtual meeting with several Saudi investors and private sector companies participating in an initiative to establish a pharmaceutical factory in Libya.

In September 2025, the Ministry of Health discussed with the Italian Ambassador to Libya, Gianluca Alberini, several areas of cooperation in the healthcare sector, including cooperation on developing Libya’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.

In July 2025 the Ministry of Health, and other Libyan entities, held discussions with the Italian company Pharmacom on the reactivation of the Rabta factory for raw materials as part of the strategy to enhance pharmaceutical sovereignty‎.

While in 2021, the Economic and Social Development Fund (ESDF) discussed the possibility of reactivating medicine production within Libya through its Bosnian Bosnalijek pharmaceutical investment.

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