Boehringer Ingelheim and MEDS partner to enhance healthcare access in Kenya

KENYA – Boehringer Ingelheim, a global pharmaceutical company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) to expand its ‘Access to Healthcare’ program in Kenya.

This partnership aims to provide affordable, life-saving medications to patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension, while also strengthening local healthcare systems.

Launched in September 2022, the ‘Access to Healthcare’ program collaborates with local health stakeholders to offer equitable healthcare services to underserved communities in Kenya.

The initiative focuses on improving disease management, supplying medical treatments at subsidized prices, and ensuring patients adhere to their medications for non-communicable diseases like hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

As of December 2024, the program has engaged over 200 physicians, enrolled more than 1,500 patients, and partnered with 15 healthcare facilities across the country.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a significant health concern in Kenya, accounting for approximately 27% of all deaths.

Through this partnership, Boehringer Ingelheim and MEDS aim to address this issue by providing access to leading medications at subsidized costs and raising community awareness about type 2 diabetes and hypertension through ongoing campaigns.

At the signing ceremony in Nairobi, Derek O’Leary, Regional Managing Director at Boehringer Ingelheim for India, the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (IMETA), stated, “At Boehringer Ingelheim, we believe that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right. Our ‘Access to Healthcare’ program is designed to bridge the gap for underserved communities, ensuring that patients receive life-saving treatments at subsidized costs.”

Dr. Stephen Kigera, representing MEDS Management, added, “At MEDS, we are committed to providing underserved communities in Kenya with medications that will improve their health outcomes. Through this partnership, we hope to provide eligible type 2 diabetes and hypertension patients with the latest innovations in treatment from Boehringer Ingelheim.”

This collaboration aligns with Boehringer Ingelheim’s ‘Sustainable Development for Generations’ framework, which aims to create value in areas of unmet medical need and promote a healthier, sustainable, and more equitable future.

By 2030, the company plans to expand healthcare access to 50 million people in underserved communities, invest €35 billion (US $36.76 billion) in health innovation and research to combat non-communicable diseases, and allocate an additional €250 million (US $262.55 million) to partnerships addressing emerging infectious diseases.