ALIMA

What ALIMA does

ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) is a Paris-headquartered humanitarian medical NGO founded in 2009 and registered as a French Association loi 1901 with public-interest recognition. Its operational headquarters are in Dakar, Senegal, and it maintains field offices in New York and London alongside registered entities in each jurisdiction (501(c)(3) in the US, registered charity in the UK). The organization provides direct medical humanitarian interventions across 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, including Burkina Faso, DRC, Haiti, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, and South Sudan, with core service lines spanning epidemic response (Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera), severe acute malnutrition treatment, maternal and child health, pediatrics, mental health, and humanitarian surgery.

ALIMA's technical core centers on the CUBE (Chambre d'Urgence Biosécurisée), a proprietary transparent isolation unit for treating highly infectious disease patients that reduces healthcare worker exposure while maintaining patient-family visual and auditory contact. Twenty-four CUBEs were deployed during the 2018-2019 DRC Ebola outbreak. The organization differentiates through a local alliance model in which 95% of field staff are nationals of intervention countries, enabling both rapid community acceptance and sustained health system strengthening in partnership with national health ministries (DRC Ministry of Health, NCDC Nigeria).

Revenue derives from individual donations (with country-specific tax-advantaged giving in France, USA, UK, Australia), institutional grants (WHO, Gavi, government agencies), annual membership fees, and innovative financing including the 2018 €2M social bond issuance structured by Crédit Coopératif. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries. The organization has treated over 22 million people cumulatively and was recognized in TIME100 Health 2024 for epidemic response innovation.

Name

ALIMA

Legal name

ALIMA - The Alliance for International Medical Action

Website

https://alima.ngo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

ALIMA is a Paris-headquartered humanitarian medical NGO founded in 2009 that delivers emergency medical care, epidemic response, and malnutrition treatment across 14 African countries and Haiti, using a local alliance model with 95% national staff and proprietary CUBE isolation technology for infectious disease outbreaks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Medical Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emergency Medical Care & Field Hospitals (BPADADAC)

Keywords

• Humanitarian medical aid
• Emergency epidemic response
• Malnutrition treatment programs
• Maternal child health
• Humanitarian clinical research

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through one-time or recurring donations via the organization's website and country-specific donation forms (France, USA, UK, Australia). Donations qualify for tax deductions under respective national tax laws.
2. Institutional Funding: Funding from institutional donors including government agencies, international organizations (WHO), and foundations. WHO mentioned as specific funder for Ebola response projects.
3. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for association members who participate in governance decisions and receive communications. Fee amount not publicly disclosed; contact required.
4. Social Impact Bonds / Associative Titles: In 2018, ALIMA became the first humanitarian medical NGO to raise 2 million euros through associative titles, structured by Crédit Coopératif and subscribed by qualified investors including BNP Paribas Asset Management, La Caisse Solidaire, INCO, Ecofi Investissements, Esfin Gestion, and Mirova.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) is a humanitarian medical NGO that delivers direct medical care to vulnerable populations in crisis-affected countries. Its core offerings include epidemic response (Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera), severe acute malnutrition treatment, maternal and pediatric healthcare, mental health services, humanitarian surgery, and clinical research. Services are delivered free of charge through field treatment centers, hospitals, and mobile clinics operated in partnership with national health ministries across 14 countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

Product overview

ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) is a humanitarian medical NGO founded in 2009, not a technology product company. The organization provides direct humanitarian healthcare services rather than software products or technology platforms. ALIMA's offerings consist of medical humanitarian interventions including emergency epidemic response (Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera), malnutrition treatment and prevention programs, maternal and pediatric healthcare, mental health services, surgery in humanitarian contexts, and clinical research. The organization operates through field projects across 14 countries in Africa and has developed innovations such as the CUBE (Chambre d'Urgence Biosécurisée) isolation unit for treating highly infectious diseases. ALIMA does not offer software-as-a-product offerings; its services are delivered directly through operational field teams in partnership with local actors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Epidemic and Emerging Disease Response Emergency medical response to outbreaks of Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera, measles, and other infectious diseases, including patient isolation, clinical care, vaccination campaigns, and outbreak investigation in coordination with WHO and national health authorities.
• Severe Acute Malnutrition Treatment Outpatient and inpatient therapeutic feeding programs for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, including ready-to-use therapeutic food distribution, medical monitoring, and caregiver training in countries across sub-Saharan Africa.
• Maternal and Reproductive Health Obstetric and reproductive healthcare for women in crisis settings, including antenatal care, emergency obstetric services, micronutrient supplementation, and newborn care.
• Pediatric Care Inpatient and outpatient pediatric medical care for children in crisis-affected settings, including treatment of malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea, and other common childhood illnesses.
• Mental Health Services Psychosocial support and mental health care for populations affected by conflict, displacement, and humanitarian crises, including survivors of sexual violence and epidemic survivors.
• Humanitarian Surgery Emergency and essential surgical care provided in humanitarian contexts, including trauma surgery, caesarean sections, and emergency interventions for epidemic-related complications.
• Health System Strengthening Capacity-building programs delivered in partnership with national health ministries, including training of local healthcare workers, hospital infrastructure support, and integrated disease surveillance.
• Clinical Research and Innovation Operational research and clinical trials conducted in collaboration with WHO, INSERM, University of Oxford, ALERRT, and NIAID, including the PARTNERS clinical trial for Bundibugyo virus treatment evaluation.
• CUBE Biosecure Emergency Care Unit Individual transparent isolation chamber designed for treating patients with highly infectious diseases, allowing healthcare workers to provide care without full PPE, reducing transmission risk, and enabling patients to maintain visual and auditory contact with family members. 24 CUBEs were deployed during the 2018-2019 Ebola outbreak in DRC.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 22 million people treated since 2009
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WHO (World Health Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026WHO sponsors the PARTNERS clinical trial in DRC evaluating MBP134 monoclonal antibody and remdesivir for Bundibugyo virus. WHO coordinates the trial with INRB, Institute of Tropical Medicine Belgium, and University of Oxford, with support from Africa CDC, ALIMA, and Médecins Sans Frontières.
• Africa CDCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026Africa CDC supports the WHO-sponsored PARTNERS clinical trial for Bundibugyo virus treatment evaluation in DRC, working alongside ALIMA, Médecins Sans Frontières, INRB, and University of Oxford.
• INRB (Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026National research institute coordinating the PARTNERS clinical trial in DRC for Bundibugyo virus treatment evaluation. Works with WHO, University of Oxford, Institute of Tropical Medicine Belgium, and international NGOs.
• University of OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026Academic partner coordinating the PARTNERS clinical trial for Bundibugyo virus treatment alongside WHO, INRB, and Institute of Tropical Medicine Belgium.
• Institute of Tropical Medicine, BelgiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026Research institution coordinating the PARTNERS clinical trial for Bundibugyo virus treatment evaluation with WHO, University of Oxford, and INRB.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026Supporting the WHO-sponsored PARTNERS clinical trial for Bundibugyo virus treatment evaluation in DRC alongside ALIMA, Africa CDC, INRB, and academic partners.
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2019ALIMA partners with NIAID on new drug treatment protocols for Ebola patients, initiating medication care protocols in August 2018 alongside DRC Ministry of Health and WHO.
• NCDC Nigeria (Nigeria Centre for Disease Control)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2019ALIMA works alongside NCDC and federal/state health authorities in Nigeria to support Lassa fever outbreak response, patient treatment, and capacity building since 2019.
• INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, France)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2019Through ALERRT consortium and LASCOPE research project, ALIMA partners with INSERM (Unit 1219) on Lassa fever research including cohort studies, treatment evaluation, and clinical trial preparation.
• ALERRT (African coaLition for Epidemic Research, Response and Training)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2018ALIMA is part of ALERRT, a multidisciplinary clinical research and infectious disease control network in sub-Saharan Africa, working to improve epidemic research and response capabilities.
• Gavi, the Vaccine AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2017ALIMA selected for Gavi's Civil Society Organizations steering committee to provide field insights on vaccinating children in remote areas. Three-year mandate from July 2017. Brings 8+ years of vaccination experience in humanitarian contexts.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• ALERRT (African Coalition for Epidemic Research, Response and Training): Multidisciplinary clinical research and epidemic response network in sub-Saharan Africa in which ALIMA is a member. ALERRT is a research consortium peer that channels funding and clinical trial opportunities to ALIMA's field operations.
• Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: Public-private partnership that funds vaccination programs in low-income countries and on whose Civil Society Steering Committee ALIMA sits. Gavi is a key institutional donor and capability partner for ALIMA's immunization programs in fragile states.

Direct peers

• International Medical Corps (IMC): US-based humanitarian medical NGO delivering emergency relief, healthcare, and training in conflict-affected countries. IMC competes with ALIMA for the same institutional donor pool (USAID, ECHO, UN agencies) and operates in overlapping geographies in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): The largest humanitarian medical NGO globally, operating emergency medical interventions in crisis and conflict zones. MSF is referenced alongside ALIMA in the WHO PARTNERS trial, the Ebola response in DRC, and other institutional partnerships, making it the closest comparable on mission, model, and donor set.
• Partners In Health (PIH): Non-profit that provides direct healthcare services in resource-limited settings with a focus on health system strengthening and clinical research. PIH's model of partnering with national health systems and emphasis on research-driven care parallels ALIMA's alliance approach and clinical trial partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children: Global humanitarian organization with significant child health, nutrition, and emergency response programming. Save the Children operates in many of ALIMA's countries and competes directly for the same restricted funding pool from Gavi, ECHO, and European donors.
• CARE International: Major international humanitarian NGO with health, nutrition, and emergency response programs across Africa and the Caribbean. CARE overlaps with ALIMA on maternal/child health and nutrition interventions and competes for similar individual donor and institutional grants.
• UNICEF: UN agency focused on child health, nutrition, vaccination, and emergency response. UNICEF is both a potential ALIMA partner and competitor for the same donor dollars on vaccination, nutrition, and maternal/child health programming in overlapping geographies.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Large humanitarian NGO providing healthcare, education, and economic support in crisis contexts. IRC operates in many of the same African countries as ALIMA and competes for similar US and European government funding streams, though with a broader program portfolio beyond direct medical care.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): The largest and most established humanitarian organization providing healthcare in conflict zones globally. ICRC operates on a broader mandate (detention visits, IHL promotion) but is a direct functional peer for medical care delivery in war-affected countries where ALIMA also works (Sudan, DRC, CAR).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/alima_org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5iVRoFSw5xuQgRhgJgX9UQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ALIMA.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alima
• Instagraminstagram.com/alima_org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ALIMA