Kenya-based digital pharmacy MYDAWA has announced a partnership with Endless Health to develop a digital-first model for chronic disease care in East Africa. The initiative, targeting hypertension and diabetes patients, was co-designed with Ariadne Labs. The goal is to generate evidence on the capacity of private pharmacies to deliver quality chronic-disease services while improving community access. This partnership aims to make access more affordable and strengthen community-based delivery.
The partnership will integrate Turn.io's WhatsApp-based patient engagement platform to streamline communication with patients. MYDAWA Group COO Priscilla Muhiu highlighted the role of pharmacies as a first point of care. The digital model will leverage private pharmacies' existing presence in East Africa, where they provide much of the chronic-disease care. However, evidence on the quality of care remains limited, according to Endless Health's Director of Health Programs, Rubayat Khan.
At the i3 Access to Markets event in Kigali, other health-tech firms secured significant financing deals. Tanzanian firm Dawa Mkononi secured a working-capital agreement with NMB Bank to provide interest-free credit to pharmacies, drug shops, and health facilities across Tanzania. Dawa Mkononi's proprietary credit-scoring engine will be used to facilitate the financing. The company has already facilitated over $6 million in financing to frontline health facilities, maintaining a low 0.3% non-performing loan rate.
Pharmaceutical supply-chain company Meditect received debt financing from Boehringer Ingelheim to expand affordable, authentic medicines across Sub-Saharan Africa. The financing will also be used to digitize Meditect's supply-chain operations. Aditya Peri, Associate Director at Boehringer Ingelheim, emphasized the importance of strengthening trusted supply chains to improve access to authentic medicines and combat counterfeit products in the region.
The four agreements were part of i3's Access to Markets programme, which has facilitated over 760 introductions and generated 165 partnerships valued at over $19 million since its inception. The programme aims to improve access to healthcare services and products in Africa. MYDAWA's partnership with Endless Health is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
The digital model developed by MYDAWA and Endless Health will focus on hypertension and diabetes care. These chronic diseases are a significant burden in East Africa, and the partnership aims to make a positive impact on the lives of patients. By leveraging private pharmacies and digital technology, the partnership hopes to improve health outcomes and increase access to quality healthcare services.
The i3 Access to Markets event in Kigali brought together health-tech firms, investors, and other stakeholders to discuss innovative solutions to healthcare challenges in Africa. The event provided a platform for companies like MYDAWA, Dawa Mkononi, and Meditect to showcase their innovative products and services. The partnerships and financing deals announced at the event are expected to have a significant impact on the healthcare sector in Africa.
Key points
- MYDAWA partners with Endless Health to develop a digital-first model for chronic disease care in East Africa
- Dawa Mkononi secures working-capital agreement with NMB Bank to provide interest-free credit to pharmacies and health facilities in Tanzania
- Meditect receives debt financing from Boehringer Ingelheim to expand affordable, authentic medicines across Sub-Saharan Africa
