At least 80% of medicines used in Tanzania are imported. In order to promote domestic production of pharmaceuticals, several initiatives have been undertaken by the Government through TMDA.

The initiatives includes establishment of a special desk officer to deal with issues of domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers, providing technical support to domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers through site visits and offering of training to technical staff, conducting stakeholders meeting and preparing IEC materials to encourage establishment of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.

The incentives which have been provided to domestic manufacturing facilities includes cancellation of VAT for manufacturing equipment, , reduction of processing application for products registration to half of the time required for foreign manufacturers, cancellation of medicines retention, importation fees for raw materials, exportation for finished products, alteration and inspection fees.

Manufacturers intending to establish new pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities are required to submit architectural plan of the facility to TMDA for review to ensure the plan meets GMP requirements. The approved plan should not be changed in the course of construction without approval by TMDA. More detailed procedure for establishment of pharmaceutical facilities are found in the Procedure for establishing a pharmaceutical plant in Tanzania.

As per May 2020, there were nine (9) pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in the country that are in operation of which two (2) are for veterinary medicines and seven (7) are for human pharmaceuticals manufacturing facilities. The dosage forms manufactured by these facilities include Solid Oral Dosage forms in form of tablets and capsule and oral liquid dosage forms (Dry powder for suspension and liquid orals), creams and ointments.

As per May 2020, there were nine (9) pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in the country that are in operation of which two (2) are for veterinary medicines and seven (7) are for human pharmaceuticals manufacturing facilities. The dosage forms manufactured by these facilities include Solid Oral Dosage forms in form of tablets and capsule and oral liquid dosage forms (Dry powder for suspension and liquid orals), creams and ointments.

The list of domestic facilities that are in operation are as indicated in the table below;

Furthermore, twelve (12) facilities were under construction of which eight (9) are for human medicine and three (3) are for veterinary medicine. The dosage forms expected to be manufactured by these facilities include Large Volume Parenterals (LVP), Oral Liquids, powders, tablets, vaccines, topical formulations, creams, ointments and ophthalmic preparations. The list of the facilities that are under construction and products to be manufactured is as indicated below;