Pharm Access Africa Limited

What Pharm Access Africa Limited does

Pharm Access Africa Limited (PAAL) is a Nairobi-based private healthcare distribution and technical assistance company founded in 2001 to expand access to affordable medicines and preventive health across Africa. Its portfolio includes specialty medical products — the ShangRing disposable male circumcision device (FDA, WHO, EU-CE and ISO approved), the Zarin/Levoplant contraceptive implant (manufactured by Shanghai Dahua Pharmaceutical), a compound lidocaine/prilocaine topical anesthetic, and the SANI-HANDS touchless automatic dispenser — distributed through an Odoo-based e-commerce storefront and partner networks. The company also operates program services: the Gold Star Network (a 2006-established social franchise of private Kenyan health providers delivering comprehensive HIV care with 24-hour medication delivery), the AAART and HIV at the Workplace programs (launched with Aureos Capital in 2008 to deliver workplace HIV policies and preferential ARV pricing), and technical assistance linking public and private sector programs to development partners.

PAAL's business model combines hardware sales of medical products with professional services tied to donor-funded technical assistance. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but the company negotiates preferential ARV pricing at approximately 5% of developed-world benchmarks (US$15/month vs. over US$1,000 at founding in 2001). Customer segments span private healthcare providers (via Gold Star Network), large private sector and parastatal employers (via workplace programs), and public sector programs and NGOs (via technical assistance). The active market footprint spans at least 19 countries across East, Central and West Africa, with dedicated country pages for Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The company is privately held, has approximately 11 employees per the supplied data, and was led by founder Parmindar S. Lotay (Darsi) until his passing in 2022; succession arrangements are not disclosed in the available material.

Name

Pharm Access Africa Limited

Legal name

Pharm Access Africa Limited

Website

https://pharmaccessafrica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pharm Access Africa Limited is a Nairobi-based private healthcare distributor and technical assistance provider founded in 2001, supplying medical products (ShangRing, Zarin, lidocaine cream, SANI-HANDS) and running HIV-care programs across at least 19 African countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Distribution & Access Programs

NAICS

Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (42421)

SIC

Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Supply Chain, Procurement & Access to Medicines (BPADAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Medical Supplies & Consumables Wholesale (Non-Device) (CRAOAHAE)

Keywords

• Healthcare product distribution
• HIV/AIDS programs
• Reproductive health commodities
• Pharmaceutical distribution
• Workplace wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Distribution: Distribution of healthcare products including ShangRing circumcision devices, Zarin contraceptive implants, and other medical products to healthcare providers, workplaces, and public sector programs across Africa.
2. Technical Assistance Services: Technical assistance to public and private sector programs linking initiatives to donor organizations for healthcare sector sustainability. Includes workplace program implementation.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pharm Access Africa Limited (PAAL) distributes healthcare products and operates health programs aimed at increasing access to affordable healthcare across Africa. The product portfolio includes the ShangRing male circumcision device, the Zarin/Levoplant contraceptive implant, Compound Lidocaine Cream, and the SANI-HANDS touch-free dispenser. The company also delivers health programs including the Gold Star Network (a social franchise of private healthcare providers), AAART, and HIV at the Workplace, focused on HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, and non-communicable diseases.

Product overview

Pharm Access Africa Limited is a healthcare organization founded in 2001 with a mission to increase access to affordable healthcare for the people of Africa. The company operates a portfolio of medical products and health programs including: ShangRing (a disposable male circumcision device), Zarin/Levoplant (a contraceptive implant), Compound Lidocaine Cream (a topical anesthetic), and SANI-HANDS (a touch-free automatic dispenser). Complementing these products, PAAL offers several health programs including Gold Star Network (HIV care social franchise), AAART (HIV/AIDS workplace program), and HIV at the Workplace initiative. The company also provides serviced apartments across multiple African countries. Products are distributed through an Odoo-based e-commerce platform at pharm-access-africa-paid-db0.odoo.com/shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gold Star Network: A social franchise program established in 2006 to promote comprehensive and quality HIV care amongst a network of private health providers in Kenya.
• AAART
• ShangRing
• Zarin/Levoplant
• Compound Lidocaine Cream (CPD)
• SANI-HANDS

Products and services

• ShangRing A novel disposable male circumcision device consisting of two concentric rings with a silicon pad, providing a low-cost, minimally invasive, and rapid method for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) services that reduces HIV transmission risk by over 65%.
• Zarin/Levoplant A subcutaneous contraceptive implant composed of two thin flexible rods made of medical grade silicone, each containing 75mg of levonorgestrel, with an annual pregnancy rate below 1% and labeled for 4 years of use.
• Compound Lidocaine Cream (CPD) A topical numbing cream combining lidocaine and prilocaine for precision anesthesia across various medical procedures including obstetrics, dermatology, laser treatments, catheterization, and circumcision.
• SANI-HANDS Touch Free Automatic Dispenser A touchless automatic hand sanitizing dispenser with built-in infrared sensor that dispenses alcohol-based sanitizers to reduce the spread of infectious diseases and nosocomial infections.
• Gold Star Network A social franchise program promoting comprehensive and quality HIV care amongst a network of private health providers in Kenya, addressing quality legal support, psycho-social support, counseling, and access to cost-effective laboratory services and medication with 24-hour medication delivery guarantee across Kenya.
• AAART An HIV/AIDS workplace program that partners with employers to develop workplace policies and provide anti-retroviral therapy, negotiating preferential pricing for ARVs and laboratory tests for CD4/CD8 and viral load tests.
• HIV at the Workplace An HIV/AIDS workplace program that helps employers develop workplace HIV/AIDS policies, provide anti-retroviral therapy, and implement comprehensive wellness programs extending beyond HIV to include non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancers.

Quantifiable outcome

• HIV transmission risk reduction of over 65% through male circumcision
• +5 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Gold Star Network Partner SitescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2006Social franchise program established in 2006 promoting comprehensive quality HIV care amongst network of private health providers in Kenya. Partner sites offer comprehensive care through their own hospitals and clinics with medical teams trained on holistic care and ART.
• Shanghai Dahua Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturer of Zarin/Levoplant contraceptive implant. GMP certified facility opened in 2004 meeting China's Good Manufacturing Practice standards. ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certified. FHI360 facilitates negotiation of six-year contracts between Shanghai Dahua and prospective partners for purchase at lowest possible prices with exclusive distribution rights.
• FHI360coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitates negotiation of six-year contracts between Shanghai Dahua Pharmaceuticals Limited and prospective partners to purchase Sino-implant (II) at lowest possible prices. Conducts independent quality evaluation of Zarin product lots through Product Quality and Compliance Laboratories.
• International Labor Organization (ILO)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerILO estimated in 2002 that over 25 million working people were infected with HIV/AIDS. PAAL's workplace programs align with ILO guidance that workplaces provide key venue for initiating effective prevention and care programs.
• National AIDS Control ProgramssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAAL built partnerships with National AIDS Control Programs to work collaboratively at national and international levels in areas of reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and non-communicable diseases.
• Community Groups, Civil Societies, Faith-Based OrganizationssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAAL partners with community groups, civil societies, and faith-based organizations to harness local expertise and tackle healthcare supply chain problems around access to healthcare commodities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Imperial Health Sciences: African pharmaceutical logistics and distribution company providing warehousing, cold-chain, and distribution services for pharma manufacturers across the continent. Comparable as a specialist Africa-focused pharma/healthcare distributor.

Direct peers

• Management Sciences for Health (MSH): Global health implementation organization that supplies technical assistance and supply-chain support for HIV, TB, malaria, and reproductive health programs in developing countries. Comparable to PAAL's donor-linked technical assistance services and supply-chain focus.
• Chemonics International: International development company that implements donor-funded health programs (HIV/AIDS, FP/RH, supply chain) in Africa and other regions. Comparable as a private-sector implementer linking governments and donors to health programs at scale.
• IntraHealth International: Global health nonprofit focused on health workforce, HIV, and reproductive health programs across Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable as a non-profit health program implementer with similar geographic footprint and HIV/service-delivery focus.
• Society for Family Health (SFH): African social marketing and reproductive health organization that distributes contraceptives and HIV-prevention products through private providers across the continent. Comparable to PAAL on contraceptive product distribution and provider-franchise delivery models.
• Right to Care: NGO providing HIV/AIDS, TB, and related health program support through public-private partnerships in Southern and East Africa. Comparable as an HIV-treatment and workplace-program implementer competing for donor funding in the same region.
• Population Services International (PSI): Global health organization that distributes reproductive health, HIV prevention, and primary health products across Africa through social franchising and provider networks. Highly comparable to PAAL's mix of contraceptive/medical-product distribution and Gold Star Network-style provider franchises.
• Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI): Global health organization that negotiates preferential pricing for ARVs, contraceptives, and other medicines in low- and middle-income countries and provides technical assistance to governments. Directly comparable to PAAL's ARV price-negotiation + donor-linked TA model across Africa.

Broad incumbents

• AMREF Health Africa: Large African health NGO delivering training, service delivery, and supply-chain support across reproductive, maternal, and communicable disease programs. Comparable as a mission-driven health access organization but operates at much larger scale and broader program scope than PAAL.
• Crown Agents: International development company providing supply-chain management, procurement, and health-systems strengthening, including pharmaceutical procurement and last-mile delivery in Africa. Comparable as a procurement and supply-chain intermediary for global health commodities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phaal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Pharm Access Africa Limited