Production Capacity of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry in Kenya

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the production capacity in the Kenyan
pharmaceutical industry and to forecast the year for full capacity utilization.
Data was collected on installed, available and utilized capacities in this industry
for the period 2010–2014, using a structured questionnaire. Six dosage forms
namely tablets, capsules, oral liquids, external preparations, dry powders and
oral rehydration salts were evaluated. Projection of capacity utilization was
performed using time series forecasting method. The available capacity in
billions was 29.3 tablets, 2.3 capsules, 0.4 bottles of oral liquids, 0.1 tubes of
external preparations, 0.1 bottles of dry powders and 0.1 sachets of oral
rehydration salts. In 2014, the overall utilized capacity was 27.4 %. The study
showed that production capacity was underutilized. However, overall utilized
capacity increased steadily during the five years. The forecasted year for
achieving full capacity utilization for the manufactured dosage forms was 2043.