Russian media report that the pharmaceutical company Pharmasyntez is preparing to begin exporting medicines to Afghanistan in the near future.
According to the reports, agreements between the company and Afghanistan’s health authorities have already been finalized, and the first shipments of medicine are expected to arrive within the next two months.
Pharmasyntez said its decision to enter the Afghan market was driven by severe shortages of quality medicines across the country.
The company stated that insulin, antibiotics, and medications related to heart disease and cancer are among the most urgently needed medicines in Afghanistan — products already included in the company’s manufacturing portfolio.
Pharmasyntez Group was founded in 1997 in the Russian city of Irkutsk by Indian-born businessman Vikram Punia and currently produces more than 300 types of medicines.
The company operates seven production facilities across Russia and mainly exports its products to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
According to published reports, Pharmasyntez is the first major Russian pharmaceutical company to formally enter the Afghan market.
Afghanistan has faced growing difficulties in securing medicine supplies in recent years, while tensions with Pakistan — one of the country’s main pharmaceutical import routes — have further complicated access to medical products.
Experts say Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical market still depends heavily on imports from Pakistan, Iran, India, and Middle Eastern countries, and new companies entering the market may face challenges related to licensing, logistics, financial transfers, and competition.
