Maisha Meds, a Kenyan-based digital pharmacy network which provides a business management software and reimbursement programs for pharmacies, drug shops and clinics, and patient support via its point-of-sale pharmacy app, has received US$5.25 million in scale-up stage 3 funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Development Innovation Ventures (DIV).
The funding which will be disbursed in three years, is aimed to support Maisha Meds’ expansion efforts to reach people in need of affordable, high-quality malaria care across Africa through private drug shops, pharmacies, and clinics that often serve as their first and sometimes only point of care.
“Frontline pharmacies provide the bulk of malaria care across many parts of Africa outside of the formal health system, and technology can play an important role in improving the quality of care that they provide,” said Dr Jessica Vernon, founder and chief executive officer of Maisha Meds.
“We are thrilled that USAID DIV has provided additional support to scale our innovation in partnership with governments and pharmacy owners.”
Founded in 2017 ,Maisha Meds is a software platform with operations across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria and Zambia, Maisha Meds has over the past few years grown to support over 4 million patient encounters annually across its markets with its suite of software products.
With additional support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Maisha Meds aims to expand its mobile software to 7,500 pharmacies and clinics by the end of the grant period, delivering subsidized care to nearly a million patients.
Stage 3 grants which is DIV’s highest level of funding, help innovators scale up proven, cost-effective approaches to critical global challenges.
Maisha Meds partners include USAID Development Innovation Ventures, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada, Pfizer, and others.