Afghanistan expands drug imports as Russian pharma company enters market

Russian pharmaceutical manufacturer Pharmasyntez is preparing to enter the Afghan market after reaching an agreement with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health to begin supplying medicines to the country, as Kabul faces growing challenges in securing reliable drug imports.

The company said the first shipments are expected to arrive within the next two months, with supplies expected to include insulin, antibiotics, and medicines for cardiovascular diseases and cancer — products that Afghan health authorities say are in high demand.

Afghanistan relies heavily on imported medicines, with most pharmaceutical supplies traditionally coming from Pakistan, Iran, India, and Middle Eastern countries.

However, industry analysts say recent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have disrupted some supply chains, creating shortages and opening opportunities for new suppliers.

Pharmasyntez said it decided to enter Afghanistan because of the country’s limited access to quality medicines.

The company’s portfolio includes more than 300 pharmaceutical products manufactured across seven production facilities in Russia.

Founded in 1997 in Irkutsk by businessman Vikram Punia, the company currently exports mainly to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, while also operating in markets including Myanmar and the Dominican Republic.

According to publicly available information, Pharmasyntez is the first major Russian pharmaceutical company to formally target the Afghan market.

Trade relations between Afghanistan and Russia have expanded in recent years, with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Trade reporting annual bilateral trade of around $538 million.

Russia currently exports wheat, flour, fuel products, timber, and sunflower oil to Afghanistan.

The last known Russian medicine deliveries to Afghanistan were humanitarian aid shipments sent after the deadly earthquakes that struck Herat province in 2023.