Across Central and East Africa, healthcare systems and providers grapple with challenges in procuring and maintaining essential medical equipment and supplies.
This results in a lack of access to crucial diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, leading to preventable deaths and adverse health outcomes for patients in under-resourced communities.
Simultaneously, many patients are compelled to endure long journeys for diagnoses at local hospitals, resulting in inconvenience, extended wait times, and higher costs.
Statista predicts a continuous decrease of 0.02% in the current health expenditure as a share of GDP in East Africa between 2024 and 2029. The estimated share is 4.38% in 2029.
This poses a problem as low healthcare spending is linked to issues like high infant mortality rates and low life expectancy.
VIEBEG Technologies, an African health tech company backed by venture capital, is addressing this challenge by expanding access to affordable healthcare in Central and East Africa. They assist healthcare facilities in real-time procurement of supplies using artificial intelligence (AI) to manage supply chain processes, ensuring precise medical supplies are in stock.
Operating in Rwanda, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, VIEBEG serves over 1,000 hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and healthcare providers. Their data-driven procurement solution, VieProcure, efficiently distributes medical supplies, equipment, and pharmaceuticals, addressing critical supply chain challenges in the healthcare sector.
Founded in 2018 by Tobias Reiter (CEO) and Alex Musyoka (Chief Commercial Officer), the company collaborates with healthcare providers to manage and expand their supply of medical products and equipment.
VIEBEG’s innovative approach leverages technology to connect healthcare providers directly with manufacturers, eliminating brokers and middlemen from the value chain and generating cost savings of up to 40%.
In 2023, Johnson & Johnson Impact Ventures invested in VIEBEG Technologies to support its growth and expansion plans in East and Central Africa. The investment aims to strengthen the firm’s ability to reach more providers and patients.
The firm’s AI-driven platform serves as a one-stop-shop for supply chain and logistics services, offering ordering, shipping, warehousing, last-mile distribution, and inventory management. The digital platform enhances providers’ resilience against external shocks, ensuring continuity of essential care.
VIEBEG supports healthcare partners with AI-powered software that organizes data on regional health demands, supply trends, and patient demographics. They also provide affordability through flexible payment plans and financing partners.
Since its launch, VIEBEG has assisted over 500 health providers, caring for more than 900,000 patients, with the goal of ensuring that providers have the equipment and supplies needed to meet their patients’ needs effectively.
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News Source: Techeconomy
