Tanzania

 

Lancet shows the way in African labs

Dr. Peter Clarke from South African lab group Lancet laid out his pan-African expertise at our 2016 Breaking Barriers conference. What business models work in Kenya? What about Nigeria, to the other side of the continent? Most private equity houses and institutional investors are daunted by Africa, but Lancet has expanded to 11 countries in just 12 years.

Low-cost dialysis group to build Africa’s largest network

Dialysis provider Africa Healthcare Network secured a contract with the Ministry of Health in Rwanda to deliver kidney care to district hospitals across the country. The group aims to triple capacity in Rwanda in the next year and launch up to 100 centres across Sub-Saharan Africa in the next five years. We speak to CEO Nikhil Pereira-Kamath.

Abraaj close to $1bn target

Abraaj is close to its $1bn target for its mammoth Global Healthcare Fund. And its ambitions are becoming clearer.

Dr Agarwal bets on Africa

Of all types of Indian healthcare operators none have been as successful in Africa as Dr Agarwal, India’s second largest eye care chain. In just five years, it has grown its African business from nothing to 30-35% of sales. So far, it has 15 clinics in Mozambique, Nigeria, Madagascar, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, the Seychelles and Mauritius, but it plans to open six this year and to have 40 by 2020. We talk to Dr Agarwal’s CEO S. Rajagopalan.

Rx Health Management builds US$200m fund

The former Egyptian health minister, Dr Hatem Elgabaly, hopes to raise US$200m to invest in African healthcare by the middle of 2017. Three deals in Egypt and Nigeria are under negotiation and three others in Morocco and Nigeria are early-stage. All are already funded, he claims. The strategy is to build a platform in hospitals, diagnostics and pharma in North Africa and replicate their success in Sub-Saharan Africa by consolidating and modernising mum'n'pops or expanding existing platforms.

FREE BLOG East Africa – plenty of opportunity

Until recently, East Africa was too poor to attract substantial foreign interest apart from donor funding. There are just too many opportunities elsewhere for global healthcare players. But this is changing.

Interview: Amit Thakker, founder, Kenya Healthcare Federation and Avenue Healthcare

With the East African region expected to grow GDP 6.7% in 2016, according to the African Development Bank, it is no wonder foreign investors are pouring in. An IFC report from 2007 estimated 60% of health financing is from private sources and 50% of health expenditure is spent on private providers. The HMO model, in particular, is attracting a growing middle class.

Telefónica brings subscription mobile health services to two million across Latin America

Healthcare Nova can reveal that mobile phone giant Telefónica is rolling out its mobile health services to all its Latin American countries over the next two months. Launched in Brazil in 2012 it now has 2m customers there. It is also about to turn Saluspot, a platform to message doctors and book appointments, into a subscription service. Mobile health services include 24/7 call centres and SMS health tips and advice.

Fortis expands into Africa

Indian hospital and lab operator Fortis is expanding into Africa as an operator. We look at its plans.

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