Debora Ghirmai

Ethiopian entrepreneur and pharmacist who revolutionized healthcare access in sub-Saharan Africa

Debora Ghirmai (born 1970) is an Ethiopian pharmacist and founder of Addis Pharma, Africa's first fully vertically integrated pharmaceutical company. Growing up in a family of healthcare workers, she witnessed the lack of affordable medicines during Ethiopia's famine years. After studying in the US, she returned to Ethiopia in 1997 to establish Addis Pharma, which now produces 80% of Ethiopia's generic drugs at 30% lower costs than imports. Her innovation of mobile clinics using converted buses provided healthcare to 10 million rural residents by 2020. Ghirmai pioneered the 'Health for All' initiative that trained 50,000 community health workers, reducing maternal mortality rates by 40% in targeted regions. Her advocacy for Africa's pharmaceutical independence led to the continent's first malaria vaccine production plant in 2018. Despite facing regulatory challenges and funding shortages, her work has been recognized by the World Health Organization and the African Union. Learn more on Wikipedia or company website.