Association Médicale Franco-Asiatique

What Association Médicale Franco-Asiatique does

Association Médicale Franco-Asiatique (AMFA) is a French humanitarian nonprofit association (loi 1901) founded in 1979 by Professor Alain Patel at Université René Descartes — Paris V to coordinate medical cooperation between France and Southeast Asia, with primary operational focus on Myanmar. The organization operates an integrated three-pillar model — EQUIP (medical equipment donation and container logistics), TRAIN (clinical and biomedical training of local healthcare workers, both in France at AP-HP hospitals and on-site), and FOLLOW-UP (long-term technical maintenance through volunteer biomedical technicians) — delivered via periodic field missions by volunteer French medical specialists, telemedicine sessions, and financial transfers to partner hospitals.

AMFA's core service portfolio comprises medical training programs (over 500 physicians and nurses trained, including 400+ at AP-HP in Paris), medical equipment supply (operating theaters, ventilators, monitors, X-ray machines, autoclaves, ultrasound), a network of 19+ standardized rural dispensaries (with 23 around Thandwe and 14 in the Myeik archipelago), hospital modernization projects (Mandalay General Hospital cardiac surgery, Yangon Orthopaedic Hospital, Myeik Mother and Child Hospital, the Centre de Traumatologie de Vientiane in Laos), specialized training facilities (a microsurgery school at Yangon Medical University and a biomedical maintenance workshop), surgical missions (50+ cardiac surgery missions by Professor Daniel Loisance alone), and emergency medical container shipments (including ~€80,000 deployed for the March 2025 Sagaing/Mandalay earthquake response). The underlying technology is non-proprietary: AMFA does not develop software or AI products, but operates a standardized logistics chain — equipment collection from AP-HP hospitals via CAMAD, refurbishment, packing into 40-foot sea containers by NECOTRANS, and shipping to Myanmar — and a standardized dispensary construction blueprint (reinforced concrete, solar panels, identical equipment sets).

AMFA is funded entirely by donations, with no commercial revenue. Streams include individual donor contributions processed through the AssoConnect platform with a 66% French tax deduction, corporate and foundation grants (Total Myanmar for container transport and pediatric orthopedics, Rainbow Bridge Foundation €210,000 for Myeik MCH, Fondation IF for pediatric cardiac surgery and the Yangon microsurgery school, International SOS for workshop salaries, Conseil Général du Calvados €35,000 for Kyonedayaae, Fondation Bru, Fondation Sisley, Fondation Ombrie, and others for individual dispensaries), and in-kind equipment donations (CAMAD-surplus AP-HP equipment, Tulipe pharmaceuticals, FACOM tools). The organization maintains an 8-member volunteer board currently led by President Jérôme Sales de Gauzy (Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, CHU Toulouse) and Co-President Daniel Loisance (Emeritus Professor of Cardiac Surgery, UPEC Paris XII, Member of the Académie de Médecine). Following the February 2021 military coup, AMFA closed its Yangon office and shifted support to NUG-aligned hospitals in 'free zones,' supplementing physical missions with Zoom-based remote training and YouTube-distributed recordings.

Name

Association Médicale Franco-Asiatique

Legal name

Association Médicale Franco-Asiatique (AMFA)

Website

https://amfa-france.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AMFA is a French humanitarian nonprofit founded in 1979 that delivers integrated medical aid to Southeast Asia — primarily Myanmar — by equipping hospitals and dispensaries, training local healthcare workers (often at AP-HP in Paris), and providing long-term biomedical maintenance, all funded by donations and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Healthcare Services

NAICS

Ambulatory Health Care Services (621)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK), Disaster Response, Rescue & Tactical EMS (DMAT/USAR/SWAT/HAZMAT Medical) (HLAFANAH)

Keywords

• Humanitarian medical aid
• Medical equipment donation
• Healthcare professional training
• Biomedical maintenance services
• Rural dispensary networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations (Individuals): AMFA raises funds from individual donors via its website (AssoConnect platform) and direct contact. Donations are used to finance concrete and documented actions on the ground: purchase of medical equipment, essential medicines, and training programs for healthcare workers. A 66% tax deduction on income tax is available to French donors (within 20% of taxable income limit). CERFA official receipts are issued.
2. Medical Equipment Donations (in-kind): AMFA recovers usable medical equipment from French hospitals (particularly AP-HP hospitals), private clinics, and other healthcare facilities. Equipment is refurbished, packed into containers, and shipped to Myanmar. This in-kind support is a major form of revenue/contribution, estimated at over €600,000 for the Mandalay Orthopaedic Hospital project alone. Donors include AP-HP via CAMAD, private clinics, and medical societies.
3. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Corporate sponsors and foundations provide targeted funding: Total Myanmar funds container transport, equipment, and poor children's medical care; the Rainbow Bridge Foundation funded €210,000 for the Myeik Mother & Child Hospital renovation; Tulipe donates pharmaceutical supplies; International SOS funds workshop salaries; Fondation IF supports pediatric cardiac surgery and the Yangon surgery school; Fondation Bru supports dispensaries; other foundations sponsor specific dispensaries or programs.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AMFA is a French humanitarian medical association that supports healthcare development in Southeast Asia, primarily Myanmar, through three integrated pillars: EQUIPER (supplying hospitals and dispensaries with refurbished medical equipment shipped via containers), FORMER (training physicians, surgeons, nurses, and biomedical technicians both on-site and at AP-HP hospitals in France), and ASSURER LE SUIVI (providing long-term biomedical maintenance and technical support via volunteer field missions). The organization builds and operates a network of rural dispensaries, conducts specialized surgery missions (cardiac, orthopedic), and responds to emergencies such as the 2025 Myanmar earthquake.

Product overview

AMFA (Association Médicale Franco-Asiatique) is a French humanitarian medical organization founded in 1979 that provides healthcare aid in Southeast Asian crisis zones, particularly Myanmar. The organization operates three interconnected core service pillars: (1) Medical Training Programs (Formation) - training healthcare workers in France and on-site; (2) Medical Equipment Supply (Equiper) - providing essential medical equipment through container shipments; and (3) Technical Follow-up (Assurer le suivi) - maintaining equipment through biomedical technicians. Beyond these core services, AMFA manages a network of rural dispensaries, supports hospital renovation projects (including Mandalay General Hospital, Yangon Orthopedic Hospital, and Mother and Child Hospital in Myeik), conducts surgical missions (cardiac, orthopedic, scoliosis), operates a micro-surgery training school in Yangon, and maintains a biomedical maintenance workshop for local technician training. The organization functions as a charitable association, not a technology company, and does not offer software products or APIs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Training Programs (Formation)

Quantifiable outcome

• By 2018, the Mandalay cardiac surgery team performed ~500 successful operations autonomously, trained by Pr. Loisance through 50+ missions.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fondation IFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Fondation IF (Switzerland) supports two AMFA programs: (1) Pediatric cardiac surgery training at Mandalay via missions by Pr. Pascal Vouhe's team from AP-HP Necker and training of Burmese nurses and anesthesiologists in Paris and Angers; (2) The National Surgery School at Yangon Medical University, fully equipping the microsurgery laboratory with 10 microscopes, surgical instruments, and an animal facility.
• Conseil Général du CalvadosminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2009The Calvados General Council provided a €35,000 subsidy (from deconcentrated credits) to fund the construction of the Kyonedayaae Rural Health Center in the Irrawaddy Delta, serving 20,000 villagers. A second subsidy funded complete renovation of the center in 2018.
• International SOScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007International SOS funded the salaries and training costs of Burmese biomedical technicians at the Yangon maintenance workshop from 2007 to at least 2016. Their support was critical for the workshop's autonomy and for keeping technicians employed during the learning phase.
• Fondation Rainbow BridgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2006The Rainbow Bridge Foundation (President: Franck Dargent) provided €210,000 to fully renovate and equip the colonial-era Myeik hospital, transforming it into the Mother and Child Hospital. The foundation continues to fund annual maintenance and improvements, including generators, water systems, medical equipment, and staff support. AMFA managed equipment procurement and logistics. The hospital was inaugurated on 28 October 2006.
• Total Myanmar / Total EP MyanmarcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Total has been a major corporate partner since before 1988. Contributions include: (1) Funding container transport from France to Myanmar (3+ containers per year); (2) Sponsoring pediatric orthopaedic surgeries for poor children in Mandalay, Yangon, and Myeik; (3) Financing premises renovation for the Yangon biomedical workshop; (4) Supporting cataract operations for island populations via the Helen Keller Foundation; (5) Co-funding the Mandalay pediatric orthopaedic department (12 beds). Total Myanmar's YADANA Consortium handles logistics.
• AP-HP (Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1979AP-HP is the institutional backbone of AMFA. All AMFA board members belong to AP-HP. The partnership involves: (1) Authorizing AP-HP staff to participate in AMFA missions in Asia; (2) Providing training posts and scholarships for Asian nurses (182 from Thailand, 85 from Taiwan, 12 from Cambodia, 54 from Laos, 132 from Myanmar, 4 from Vietnam); (3) Donating surplus but functional medical equipment via CAMAD; (4) Hosting Asian medical professionals for specialized training in Paris hospitals. AP-HP schools (IBODE, IFCS, anesthesia/reanimation school) provide structured curricula for Asian trainees. A formal convention was signed in 2006.
• Tulipe (Association des Professionnels du Médicament)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTulipe donates pharmaceutical supplies (medicines, surgical gloves, surgical drapes) to AMFA. These are packed in containers and distributed to hospitals and dispensaries in Myanmar. Tulipe medicines are particularly important for the dispensary network, where they treat common pathologies including malaria, tuberculosis, and gastrointestinal diseases.
• Aktion MyanmarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAktion Myanmar (German charity) partners with AMFA and Eqwal to organize amputee prosthetics training missions at the Thai-Myanmar border. AMFA participates in these joint missions, which train young Burmese in prosthetic limb making and fitting.
• Fondation EqwalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEqwal Foundation organizes amputee prosthetics training for Burmese healthcare workers. AMFA participates in these training missions (6 missions planned for 2026). The training takes place at a center near the Thai-Myanmar border and equips young Burmese with skills to make prosthetics for amputees caused by war injuries.
• NUG (National Unity Government of Myanmar)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollowing the 2021 coup, AMFA shifted support to NUG-aligned hospitals and 'free zone' healthcare facilities. AMFA sends medical containers and financial transfers through a secured network to these hospitals, which include two larger hospitals in Sagaing State and small local dispensaries. This support also channels earthquake relief.
• Université de Médecine Yangon 1coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMFA partnered with Yangon Medical University to establish the National Surgery School, including a microsurgery training center equipped with 10 microscopes, surgical instruments, and an animal facility. A convention was signed for two years with the University and with the Ecole de Chirurgie de Nancy for academic collaboration. Aung San Suu Kyi inaugurated the microsurgery school two months before the 2021 coup.
• Fondation BRUminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondation BRU built and maintains two dispensaries at Pasot and Yay Kan Aw villages, including supplying medicines and funding village improvements (sanitation, drainage, road surfacing). It also funds a school at Pasot, supporting poor children's education through to Grade 11 exams, and a dental care program.
• Fondation SisleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondation Sisley funds the operation and maintenance of two dispensaries (War Yit and Thazin) in the Myeik archipelago.
• Groupe Marie-ClaireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroupe Marie-Claire supports the We Kyune dispensary in the Myeik archipelago.
• Fondation OmbrieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondation Ombrie supports the Aye Pin Aye dispensary in the Myeik islands and co-sponsors Maw Khaung Tone, Thit Yar Wa, and Panzin dispensaries with AMFA and Total Myanmar.
• Le TanneurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLe Tanneur funds the Taw Pyar Gyi dispensary in the Myeik islands.
• Enfants des BambousminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnfants des Bambous supports the Ma Gyi Chaung Wa dispensary in the Myeik archipelago.
• Gonzague de BlignièresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGonzague de Blignières funds The Shaung and Shaw Daw Maw dispensaries in the Myeik islands.
• CAMAD (Collecte d'Appareillages Médicaux à Destination)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAMAD collects surplus but functional medical equipment from French hospitals and donates it to AMFA for shipment to Myanmar. Equipment is sorted, tested, and included in sea containers.
• NECOTRANSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNECOTRANS provides warehouse facilities in France for storing collected medical equipment, handles packaging and container loading, and manages international logistics for shipping to Myanmar.
• FACOM OutilsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACOM donates precision tools for the biomedical maintenance workshop at Yangon General Hospital, enabling local technicians to repair and maintain medical equipment.
• Air FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAir France sponsors the transport of biomedical technicians to Bangkok (gateway to Myanmar) for two years, facilitating AMFA's maintenance missions.
• Société LEGRANDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEGRAND contributed electrical installations for the microsurgery training laboratory at Yangon Medical University's National Surgery School.
• Société BICminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSociété BIC donated pens for school children supported by the Fondation BRU and AMFA at the Pasot school.
• LE BIPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLE BIP donated surgical gloves and drapes sufficient to operate the Myeik Mother and Child Hospital for at least one year.
• Avenir FinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAvenir Finance partnered with the Croix Rouge Française and AMFA in early 2007 to ensure continuous 24/7 clean water supply at the Myeik Mother and Child Hospital and General Hospital, addressing the critical challenge of wells, pumps, and diesel for operation.
• Croix Rouge FrançaiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Avenir Finance and AMFA to ensure continuous clean water supply at Myeik hospitals (2007), addressing water infrastructure needs.
• Fondation Helen Keller InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondation Helen Keller co-funded cataract surgeries for residents of Myeik's islands. Patients were transported to Myeik hospital for operations, with AMFA covering transport, accommodation, and non-cataract related medical costs.
• Hôpital Universitaire d'AngersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA convention with Angers University Hospital allowed AMFA to host Burmese medical professionals for specialized training, complementing the Paris-based AP-HP training program.
• Ecole de Chirurgie de NancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMFA signed an academic collaboration agreement with the Ecole de Chirurgie de Nancy and University of Nancy for the National Surgery School at Yangon Medical University.
• APLOM (Association Pour l'Aide aux Orphelinats de Mergui)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPLOM was created by AMFA to specifically support Father Bruno Philip's 6 orphanages (491 children) in the Myeik region. The Albert et Yolande Baussan endowment fund provides ongoing financial support. AMFA ensures all children receive free healthcare at Myeik's Mother and Child Hospital.
• Centre Hospitalier du MansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo nurses from Myeik hospital completed a one-year placement in operating rooms and intensive care at Le Mans General Hospital (2008) as part of a potential hospital partnership between Le Mans and Myeik.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Medical Corps: US-based humanitarian organization delivering emergency medical services, training, and capacity building in conflict-affected and low-resource settings. Comparable training-plus-equipment-plus-follow-up model and beneficiary populations in Southeast Asia.
• Médecins du Monde: French medical humanitarian NGO operating in low-resource and crisis settings with long-term healthcare programs and training components. Directly comparable to AMFA in model (French medical volunteers, training + equipment + follow-up) and beneficiary populations.
• Fondation Mérieux: French foundation focused on fighting infectious diseases by strengthening clinical laboratory and healthcare capacity in low-resource countries. Comparable to AMFA in French institutional base and emphasis on building local medical capacity rather than providing direct care.
• Partners In Health: Nonprofit that builds sustainable healthcare capacity in resource-poor settings through training, infrastructure, and long-term partnerships. Directly comparable to AMFA's three-pillar (Equip-Train-Follow-up) model of building durable local health systems rather than delivering episodic aid.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): International medical humanitarian organization providing emergency medical care in conflict and disaster zones, including Myanmar. Comparable to AMFA in delivering frontline medical services to crisis-affected populations, though at much larger scale and with broader geographic scope.
• ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action): Medical humanitarian organization delivering emergency response and building local healthcare capacity in Africa and beyond. Comparable in combining emergency medical operations with training-of-local-staff programs in crisis-affected regions.

Broad incumbents

• Humanity & Inclusion (formerly Handicap International): International NGO working in conflict and low-resource settings on disability, rehabilitation, and inclusion. Comparable to AMFA in French institutional roots and provision of prosthetics training (Aktion Myanmar/Eqwal missions) in conflict-affected border areas.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Largest and most established humanitarian organization operating in conflict zones, with substantial presence in Myanmar. Comparable in protecting and providing healthcare to conflict-affected populations, but vastly larger in scale, mandate, and institutional resources.
• UNICEF Health Programs: UN agency delivering maternal, newborn, and child health interventions as part of broader humanitarian and development programming. Comparable to AMFA in operating in Myanmar's maternal-child health space, but operating at vastly larger scale with multilateral funding base.

Regional players

• AMREF Health Africa: Africa-based health systems strengthening NGO delivering training, equipment, and community health programs. Comparable to AMFA in operating model (local capacity building, training, equipment supply) but serving a different region and operating at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/amfafrance/?locale=fr_FR
• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/association-m%C3%A9dicale-franco-asiatique

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Association Médicale Franco-Asiatique