Bringing health and smiles to people in Africa by producing and distributing pharmaceutical and medical products along with related services.
ISSUE背景と課題
In Africa, various factors such as income inequality, fragmented supply chains, underserved areas with limited access to healthcare, and the distribution of dangerous counterfeit and low-quality pharmaceuticals create challenges for accessing healthcare services such as essential medicines for patients.
INNOVATION課題解決
Improving Access to Medicines by Establishing Distribution Lines with CFAO
Toyota Tsusho Corporation is engaged in the healthcare business in Africa, mainly through its group company, CFAO.Operating pharmaceutical wholesale businesses in 22 African countries, it handles approximately 31,000 products from around 500 pharmaceutical manufacturers. By operating a centralized logistics hub near Le Havre, France, for the African region, it ensures stable and swift supply of pharmaceuticals to various African countries. Delivering pharmaceuticals to approximately 8,600 local hospitals and pharmacies across Africa daily contributes to enhancing access to pharmaceuticals. Moreover, in Morocco and Algeria, it has acquired licenses for pharmaceuticals from European and U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers to expand local productions.
Provision of Pharmaceuticals through Major Local Pharmacy Chains
In addition, in 2022, Toyota Tsusho acquired a stake in Goodlife Pharmacy, a major pharmacy chain in East Africa, expanding its business into the pharmaceutical retail sector. Goodlife operates approximately 100 locations in Kenya and Uganda, serving 1.7 million consumers, with plans to expand to 250 stores by 2025, aiming to provide pharmaceuticals to over 8.5 million people.Through this initiative,Toyota Tsusho aims to strengthen its healthcare business by establishing an integrated value chain from local production to distribution and retail of pharmaceuticals, thereby improving access to pharmaceuticals.
Link：https://www.goodlife.co.ke/
Startup Investments in the Healthcare Sector
Toyota Tsusho established Health54 SAS, an investment company specialized in startups in the rapidly growing healthcare sector in Africa in 2022, promoting the digitization of healthcare businesses. It supports new businesses such as operating an online pharmaceutical market for hospitals and pharmacies in Nigeria, family insurance business for the diaspora in Côte d'Ivoire, and remote diagnosis and operation of labs and clinics in Kenya. By creating synergies between these startups and CFAO's existing businesses, it accelerates the improvement of access to reliable medical services and pharmaceuticals in Africa.
Supply of Medical Kits and Generic Pharmaceuticals
Furthermore, Toyota Tsusho is involved in supplying medical kits, generic pharmaceuticals, medical consumables, and hospital medical equipment to UN agencies. Medical kits are packed in India according to customer requirements and supplied to over 30 developing countries, mainly in Africa, with approximately 380,000 kits annually. It handles a wide range of safe and cost-effective generic pharmaceuticals in line with WHO's list. Additionally, it provides after-sales services such as technical support and maintenance for medical consumables such as syringes, surgical instruments, medical examination equipment, surgical equipment, and medical furniture, contributing to the realization of effective diagnosis and treatment.
Link：https://missionpharma.com/
FUTURE未来
Under the slogan "For the Future of Africa's Children," we will contribute to realizing a society where everyone in Africa can receive appropriate healthcare services anytime, anywhere.
MESSAGE担当者の声
Through the integration of Toyota Tsusho, which has built a network in East and Southern Africa for 100 years, and CFAO, which has a history of 170 years and a solid presence in Central and Western Africa, we are conducting efficient and strategic business development across all 54 countries in Africa.
Under the concept of "WITH AFRICA FOR AFRICA," Toyota Tsusho Group, with approximately 23,000 employees working as ONE Team, is expanding regionally rooted businesses in four sectors, Mobility, Healthcare, Consumer, Power & Infrastructure, Technology. In addition to business creation, we contribute to Africa's self-sustaining development through human resource development and social contribution activities. In the healthcare sector, our mission is to establish healthcare services accessible to everyone, everywhere in Africa for the next generation.
Toyota Tsusho Group continues to challenge and grow with Africa, aiming to further contribute to the health and society of the African people.