Viebeg on expansion plans to enhance healthcare access in Africa

Viebeg Technologies has announced plans that will see the medical supples procurement platform expand its operations in East and Central Africa.

The firm currently serves at least 1,000 hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and healthcare providers in Rwanda, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Through its innovative data-driven procurement solution dubbed VieProcure, the firm facilitates the efficient distribution of medical supplies, equipment, and pharmaceuticals, which help address critical supply chain challenges in the healthcare sector is seeking entry into additional markets in the region after securing investments from various partners.

“We are already making inroads in other parts of East Africa, including Kenya, Burundi and Congo, and serving over 500 facilities. The company plans to expand across Africa,” said Alex Musyoka, Viebeg Technologies Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder.

Viebeg Technologies says its solution helps expand access to affordable healthcare in Central and East Africa by aiding healthcare facilities in procuring supplies in real time.

VieProcure platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) to manage supply chain processes from shipping to warehousing, distribution and inventory management in order to ensure that healthcare facilities have the precise medical supplies in stock.

Last year, Viebeg received funding from Johnson & Johnson Impact Ventures, an impact fund within the Johnson & Johnson Foundation, to support the firm’s plans to reach more providers and patients through continued growth and regional expansion.

“Reliable supply of essential medical products is one of the most fundamental aspects of a health provider’s success. We are excited to support and grow VIEBEG’s vital work in this space, strengthening the ability of health systems to provide care to their patients,” added David Higgins, Investments Director at J&J Impact Ventures.

Lack of access to important diagnostic and therapeutic procedures which ultimately lead to preventable deaths and other negative health outcomes for patients in under-resourced communities has been blamed on procurement hitches and stock keeping faced by healthcare systems and providers.

These inefficiencies in the supply chain have also forced many patients are to travel long distances for diagnoses at local hospitals resulting in inconvenience, long wait times, and higher prices.

“When medical supply chains fail, providers have limited ability to give care to their patients, leading to poor health outcomes. We are combating that with comprehensive services and AI-powered insights. When providers have all the equipment and supplies they need, they can better meet their patients’ needs—the ultimate goal,” said Tobias Reiter, Viebeg Technologies Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

Reiter says the firm’s AI-driven medical procurement platform also directly connects healthcare providers with manufacturers a move which has helped generate cost savings of up to 40% for customers as a result of cutting off brokers and middlemen from the value chain.
Since launch in 2018, Viebeg Technologies says it has successfully helped over 500 health providers with care to more than 900,000 patients.

According to Statista, the current health expenditure as a share of the GDP in East Africa will continuously decrease by 0.02% between 2024 and 2029. The share is estimated to amount to 4.38% in 2029. This is a problem because low healthcare spending is associated with issues like high infant mortality rates and low life expectancy.