A renowned pharmaceucal company in Sub Saharan Africa, Sheyls Pharmaceucals looks very different today to what it did when it first began life as a diminuve family business, in 1956. Now one of the largest pharmaceucal companies in East Africa, Shelys has a thorough presence throughout the length of the African connent and now provides the soluon to millions of consumers’ ailments. WRITTEN BY JACK SLATER CREATING A PHARMACEUTICAL LEGACY www.littlegatepublishing.com SHELYS PHARMACEUTICALS 00255 222 1715 WWW.KE.ASPENPHARMA.COM
Transcript
A renowned pharmaceutical company in Sub Saharan Africa, Sheyls Pharmaceuticals looks very different today to what it did when it first began life as a diminutive family business, in 1956. Now one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in East Africa, Shelys has a thorough presence throughout the length of the African continent and now provides the solution to millions of consumers’ ailments.
WRITTEN BY JACK SLATER
CREATING A PHARMACEUTICAL LEGACY
www.littlegatepublishing.com
SHELYS PHARMACEUTICALS
00255 222 1715 WWW.KE.ASPENPHARMA.COM
Over half a century’s worth of servicing people in need has made Shelys a household name and in 2012, Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited (Aspen) acquired the
remaining share in Shelys Pharmaceuticals Limited providing for a 100% shareholding. Tanzania-based Shelys and Beta Healthcare, based in Kenya and a prominent leader in OTC business in Sub Saharan Africa, are both subsidiaries of Shelys Africa and this alliance provides the foundation of Aspen’s expansion into the East and Central African markets, resulting in the establishment of an affordable, quality, generic brand presence on the continent.
Now, Shelys Pharmaceuticals is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in sub-Saharan Africa and what began as a family business has grown into a formidable company with extensive footprints across several therapeutic categories.This position has carved a reputation for the company, which is now known for not only providing quality products but also affordable generic and branded offerings across all of its areas of operation.
In a bid to comply with increasing market demand and to carry out strategic growth into export markets, the company has embarked on an expansion strategy by commissioning a new state of the art manufacturing plant that is entirely WHO cGMP compliant. This made Shelys a pioneer in Tanzania, as they were the first to commission a world-class penicillin plant as per WHO cGMP and US FDA standards. With this, Shelys became the first company in Tanzania to manufacture penicillin products locally.
SHELYS PHARMACEUTICALS
The company is also a leader, in the script market, for crucial therapeutic categories, such as cough and cold, anti-infectives, nutraceuticals, antimalarials, gastro intestinal, pain management, fever and topical inflammation, disinfectants, cardiovascular and erectile dysfunction. We spoke with Dr. Sanjay Advani, who has been with the company for eight years and currently holds the position of Managing Director, about his company’s fantastic success.
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Boasting a total area of 200,000 Sq m, the plant is first of its kind in East Africa and uses the latest, European standard, Modular Clean Room Panels against the conventional Brick walls. To safeguard the quality, that has always been a hallmark of Shelys, major investment into technically qualified personnel and the latest equipment has been combined with stringent in-house systems and procedures to ensure that consumers get products that exceed prescribed standards. The plant is equipped with modern, automatic equipment for both solid and liquid orals preparation, with full compliance to cGMP, in order to ceate a beating heart of health that is now pulsating through East Africa.
With 1500 staff in total, Dr. Advani highlights the importance of properly educating and training a workforce, especially when they are responsible for prescribing medications and drugs to the general populace, “We meet all necessary and peripherial criteria for the distribution of medication,” he says, “But it takes training and education to do this properly and our company has grown as much due to the willingness of our employees to learn to service our customers better as by our incorporation into a larger company.”
This is one of the clear reasons why Aspen Pharmaceuticals believed that Shelys would be such a suitable fit into their manifesto,
SHELYS PHARMACEUTICALS
“Aspen has a zero tolerance approach to unethical behaviour and is committed to ensuring that the group and its employees uphold their laudable reputation,” he adds.
Fighting Against CorruptionThere is a group Code of Conduct that governs all employees
associated with Aspen and this is aligned with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development recommendations regarding corruption, something that is, unfortunately, rife in business dealings within Africa.
Furthermore, this Code of Conduct extends beyond the umbrella of Aspen, into their service providers and suppliers who are also required to adhere to the group’s Code of Conduct in accordance with relevant clauses stated in agreements with stakeholders. It is so important, especially in an industry that direct;ly impacts on health, to value the highest level of transparency.
As a governing agent, Aspen makes it clear that it does not make payments, or other contributions, to political parties, organisations or their representatives. Nor does it take part in party politics, in a bid to remain as transparent and honest as possible. Employees are free to participate in political processes, in their private life, provided
it does not constitute a breach of the principles set out in the Code of Conduct and the relevant employee obligations to Aspen. This threat is assessed in accordance with contracts of employment and looks to ensure that employees are not negatively influencing their productivity or the credibility of the group.
Efforts to ensure that all activities are kept ‘above board’ include an independently monitored whistle-blowing hotline, Deloitte’s Tip-Offs Anonymous® that has been rolled out to employees across the group’s businesses. Employees can report suspected fraud and/or activities that are considered to be transgressions of the group’s Code of Conduct. So adamant is their dedication to anti-corruption, that training in how best to use this service, as well as awareness sessions, are conducted periodically to promote utilisation of the hotline, where necessary. According to Aspen’s website, the Tip-offs service has also been extended to key customers and suppliers in the South African business arena, though this introduction is at various stages of progress, in accordance with an implementation plan.
“The fight against corruption really does need to start at the employer level,” Dr. Advani says, “Businesses set the standard with which their employees follow.”
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In the war against HIV and AIDS related illnesses, Shelys stands on the front line, handing out medicine, educating and dispensing hope, as well as the latest drugs. Fortunately, Aspen’s position in Africa, through its relationships with international pharmaceutical companies Gilead Sciences Inc and Tibotec Pharmaceuticals Limited, has positioned the company at the forefront of introducing first world technology to the continent. This has one aim; to support the implementation of the latest guidelines and protocols for the treatment of HIV/Aids.
“Our range of anti-retrovirals, which include treatment products such as Viread, Truvada and Presista, has established Shelys the Aspen group as one of the most valued contributors in the fight against HIV/Aids on the continent,” Dr. Advani says.
Aspen’s strategic approach towards providing meaningful solutions to infectious diseases, as well as securing appropriate international partnerships, has created an opportunity for the group to create something important in Africa and Dr. Advani is pleased that Shelys will continue to play a major role in this, “We are creating a pharmaceutical legacy across the African continent.” he wraps up.
“ Our range of anti-retrovirals, which include treatment products such as Viread, Truvada and Presista, has established Shelys the Aspen group as one of the most valued contributors in the fight against HIV/Aids on the continent.”
