CHAPTER 3Abacus Pharma
By Rajaram Sankaran (Group CEO of Abacus Pharma)
About Abacus Pharma
Abacus Pharma, a portfolio company of the Carlyle Group, is one of the largest pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturers in East Africa. Established in 1995 in a small warehouse in Kampala, Uganda, Abacus has since grown to become a USD 100 million+ revenue company, distributing over 600 pharmaceutical products and also becoming the largest parenteral manufacturer in the region. With a wide network of 43 branches, Abacus serves a large percentage of East Africa's population and provides direct employment to over 1200 people. It aspires to be Africa's number one health and wellness company across a wide spectrum of health products and solutions in the next few years.
Backdrop
Access to quality healthcare remains a challenge in Africa, with fewer than 50% of Africans estimated to have access to modern healthcare facilities. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that Africa carries 25% of the world's disease burden but has less than a 1% share of global health expenditures. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that Africa still has a mere 3% share of global pharmaceutical production.
This necessitates the need for strong, homegrown pharmaceutical companies with the ability to distribute life-saving medicines to the farthest reaches of the region while also investing in local manufacturing to reduce the region's reliance on imported medicines.
The East African Community ...
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