The National Pharmaceutical Office (OPN), a public purchasing centre for medicines and other health products, recently placed under the management of the Gabonese Strategic Investment Fund (FGIS), has signed a technical partnership agreement with mPharma, a renowned Ghanaian company in the public health sector. mPharma specializes in providing technology solutions for the management and distribution of medical products across Africa.

This agreement was signed on September 21, 2021, in Libreville, in the presence of Simon ESSONO, Acting Director-General of OPN, and Mr. Gregory Rockson, founder and CEO of Pharma. mPharma’s international expertise will enable the automation of OPN’s management and distribution systems, which currently constitute one of the main obstacles to the proper conduct of its public service mission. mPharma will also assist in the setting up of software and technological tools adapted to OPN’s needs, as well as for the rationalization of the supply chain.

mPharma will provide the OPN with specialized staff and set up a training program so that the teams can quickly operate independently. The ambition is to quickly execute the transfer of skills to ensure that this operational overhaul generates a sustainable impact.

“Along with FGIS’ 5 billion FCFA investment in the development of OPN, the technical assistance partnership with mPharma allows us to bring together all the necessary elements for an effective and sustainable operational restructuring. The project is part of the Plan for the Acceleration of the Transformation (PAT) which was envisioned by the President, H.E. Ali BONGO ONDIMBA. We are excited to write this new chapter in the history of OPN alongside an African start-up recognized internationally for its expertise,” said Simon Essono, OPN’s Acting Director-General.

“We are delighted to contribute to OPN’s public service mission for the benefit of the Gabonese population. We are grateful to the Gabonese authorities and to the FGIS and OPN teams for their trust. The solutions we offer have been proven in other countries in Africa and we are confident that Gabon will be no exception,” added Gregory Rockson, founder and CEO of mPharma.

About OPN

The National Pharmaceutical Office (OPN) is the public purchasing office for medicines and other health products. Its mission is to supply public health structures as a priority and it has a monopoly on all medicines in hospital form. Following the adoption of government reform in 2020, the FGIS took over the management of OPN and injected five billion CFA francs to bring OPN back into balance and guarantee universal access to medicines, especially for the poor.

About Mpharma

mPharma is a renowned Ghanaian public health company specializing in drug management and supply chain development. Founded in 2013, the African multinational company has developed proprietary supply chain software that powers drug distribution to a network that includes 1005 hospitals and pharmacies. mPharma has operations in eight African countries: Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, and Malawi.

About FGIS

The Gabonese Strategic Investment Fund is the exclusive manager of the Sovereign Wealth Fund of the Gabonese Republic and of the non-allocated holdings of the Gabonese State portfolio. The Fund invests in the realization of shared prosperity for the benefit of the Gabonese population and future generations. As a partner of the government’s action, defined in the 2021-2023 Transformation Acceleration Plan, the Fund intervenes in three strategic sectors: infrastructure financing, support for SMEs and support for the social sectors. Its approach is guided by three fundamental principles: sustainability of impact, innovation and risk mitigation for its stakeholders.