In some regions, in Africa, access to medicines can prove challenging. Startups operating in the distribution of pharmaceuticals are interesting alternatives for people living in those regions. 

Afia Pharma is a digital solution developed by Rwandan firm Afia Group Ltd. It enables users to purchase pharmaceutical products online from the comfort of their homes. The Kigali-based start-up was founded in 2020 by Biganza Papy.

We are “on a mission to make quality medications accessible, available, and affordable to billions of people across Africa, to ensure that everyone has access to medicine at any time and everywhere,” Afia Pharma stated on its website. 

Through its mobile apps –Android and iOS apps–, users can create accounts and purchase pharmaceuticals, from antivirals, vitamins, and antimalarials to anti-inflammatories.

To order on Afia Pharma, users need to simply search for the products they are looking for, add them to their cart, select the delivery option, and confirm the order. Users can upload their prescriptions for products that require so. 

Afia Pharma accepts most electronic payment methods, such as credit cards. To help users take their medications as prescribed, Afia’s mobile app includes a reminder option. 

 In 2023, the healthtech solution was selected to join the second cohort of the pan-African Investing in Innovation (i3) program, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Microsoft, among others. This selection entitles it to $50,000 in funding to accelerate its growth across Africa.  

Adoni Conrad Quenum