ASSESSMENT OF OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETING IN ETHIOPIA: THE CASE OF PRIVATE PHARAMCEUTICAL IMPORTERS

Abstract

Pharmaceutical marketing is one of the important areas in pharmaceutical industry. The main objective of this study was to assess opportunities and challenges of pharmaceutical marketing in Ethiopian private pharmaceutical importers. Representative sample of 48 respondents were surveyed out of total population of 60. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the samples. The study used questionnaires and key informant interview to collect the data. Data was analyzed and presented using frequency distribution, percentage and graphs. Accordingly, the findings of the study revealed that level of economic growth, population size, increased number of health professionals and health institutions, increased emergence of lifestyle diseases in the country are some of the identified opportunities of pharmaceutical marketing and also tedious process of getting marketing authorization, high turnover rate of marketing personnel, difficulty of cash collection of credit sales, insufficient foreign currency for importation and supply chain related problems are some of the investigated challenges of pharmaceutical marketing in private pharmaceutical importers of Ethiopia. Based on the findings and conclusions made, possible solutions are forwarded along with further research scopes.