Management Sciences for Health Launches MedSource, a New Company Dedicated to Improving the Availability and Affordability of Quality Medicines for the People of Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya—February 21, 2018—Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a nonprofit global health organization dedicated to saving lives and improving the health of some of the world’s most vulnerable people, today launched MedSource, a private commercial group purchasing organization (GPO) based in Kenya. The launch is part of MSH’s new global initiative that aims to improve health ecosystems by making quality medicines more affordable.

“MedSource represents an innovative way for MSH to create private sector opportunities to help deliver quality health services and products to more people. We are proud to add this novel approach to the range of other work that we have done over the years and we hope this work in Kenya is just the beginning of similar work throughout Africa,” said Marian W. Wentworth, MSH’s President and CEO. “We are grateful to our visionary and supportive board, as the initial investment in MedSource is fully funded with MSH cash reserves.”

The new venture comes from the insight that patients in emerging markets expect, demand, and deserve more and better options for healthcare. These patients rely on a complex web of public, private, and faith-based providers, and are increasingly empowered to seek out the best care available. MSH recognizes the immense opportunity created by these trends, and MedSource will work to fill the gaps in availability and affordability of life-saving medicines.

“We know that as many as 80% of patients in low- and middle-income countries seek treatment from private, for-profit health care providers,” said Dr. Peter Kamunyo, CEO of MedSource. “This figure indicates that working with private-sector health providers and pharmacies is really going to help us reach the majority of people.”

“Our strategy in Kenya evolved after two years of dialogue with multinational drug manufacturers; distributors; dispensers; associations representing pharmacies, hospitals, and doctors; and the country’s Ministry of Health and pharmacy regulators,” said Douglas Keene, MSH’s Vice President for the Pharmaceuticals and Health Technologies Group. “MSH’s deep knowledge of pharmaceutical systems and our significant experience and network in Kenya made this possible.”

A GPO such as MedSource helps its members—pharmacies, hospitals, clinical laboratories, and other health care providers—realize savings and efficiencies by aggregating purchasing volume and using that leverage to negotiate discounts with manufacturers, distributors, and other vendors. The company will work with distributors and members to ensure the availability of quality products and will also facilitate or provide specialized training in pharmacy management, business management and other related areas. MedSource has future plans to expand into other countries.

About MedSource

MedSource is a for-profit group purchasing organization aimed at improving accessibility and availability of affordable, quality medications, and lab and health supplies. These services will benefit both healthcare providers and the population at large, while strengthening the capacity of its members to improve management of their businesses. MedSource is a wholly owned subsidiary of Management Sciences for Health. For further information, visit: medsource-group.com

About MSH

Management Sciences for Health (MSH) works shoulder-to-shoulder with countries and communities to save lives and improve the health of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people by building strong, resilient, sustainable health systems. Together, we seek to achieve universal health coverage—equitable, affordable access to high-quality health services for all who need them—even in fragile, post-crisis settings. For more than 45 years in 150 countries, MSH has partnered with governments, civil society, the private sector, and thousands of health workers on locally-led solutions that expand access to medicines and services, improve quality of care, help prevent and control epidemics, support inspiring leadership and transparent governance, and foster informed, empowered, and healthier communities. For more information, visit www.msh.org.