MyDawa, a health tech company in Kenya, has acquired Guardian Health, the largest pharmacy chain in Uganda, with 19 stores spread out in Uganda and neighbouring regions, following a Ksh 2.8 billion injection by London-based private equity investor Alta Semper. Alta Semper first backed digital health care in 2021 and stated the current investment as its official entry into digital health care in Africa. The investor highlights its mission as democratizing access to health and well-being through increasing access to good advice and safe and affordable medication.
Read more: Kenyan E-Pharmacy Company To Benefit From Bill Gates’ Ksh145 Million Fund
MyDawa, which started its operations as an online pharmacy in Kenya, has evolved into a fully regulated one-stop shop for health care with access to tests, consultations, and walk-in pharmacies across the country. The firm highlights the new acquisition as a strategy for increasing its coverage in the region and internationally. The firm is currently venturing into health centre developments following the recent launch of a combined full-service pharmacy and health centre in Mombasa.
Read more: Dr. Jacinta Wasike Appointed Acting CEO Pharmacy And Poisons Board
The acquisition automatically makes MyDawa the biggest and most advanced e-health firm in Uganda. The firm also highlighted its continued lookout for promising collaborations with start-ups across Africa and potential acquisitions as an expansion strategy. This comes after a major grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation amounting to USD 1.2 million in December 2021 to distribute HIV/AIDS products in the region and also expand its service offering into telemedicine.
MyDawa also announced the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Priscilla Muhiu, to succeed Neil O’Leary, the founder of the company.
Email your news TIPS to editor@thesharpdaily.com
