Geneva, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As part of the global health movement to expand affordable access to high-quality medicines, the Gates Foundation has awarded a $5 million grant to Axmed, a healthcare technology company transforming how lifesaving medicines are procured across Growth Markets. The grant will be deployed as a matching fund, providing a 1:1 match on government procurement of maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) commodities through the Axmed Medicines Platform.
The grant is expected to unlock up to $10 million in MNCH procurement across a selection of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. It aims to strengthen national procurement capacity by offering Ministries of Health near-term liquidity, access to quality-assured MNCH commodities, and the benefits of pooled procurement and aggregated demand – driving both cost-efficiency and supply security.
Axmed CEO Emmanuel Akpakwu speaking at 78th World Health Assembly roundtable discussion.
The initiative was announced during a high-level roundtable held alongside the 78th World Health Assembly, which convened Ministers of Health, national procurement leads, and representatives from key multilateral organizations and philanthropic partners.
Axmed presentation at 78th World Health Assembly roundtable.
“Reducing the number of preventable deaths of mothers and babies is key to our work in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Cynthia Mwase, Director of Health, Africa, Gates Foundation. “This partnership with Axmed and local health leaders is an important step forward in ensuring that life-saving innovations reach the communities where they can make the greatest difference – so that more families can experience healthy pregnancies, safe births, and strong starts to life.”
Emmanuel Akpakwu, CEO at Axmed, with Hon. Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, Minister of Health for Malawi and Felix Ohnmacht, CCO at Axmed.
Addressing Persistent Gaps in Medicines Access
Every year, 287,000 women die from pregnancy and childbirth complications, and 2.3 million newborns die in their first month—despite the availability of proven, cost-effective interventions. Weak procurement systems, constrained budgets, and fragmented supply chains continue to limit access to essential MNCH commodities across low-resource settings.
The current global liquidity crunch, coupled with reductions in donor funding, has made it harder for governments to secure the medicines they need. This grant responds to that challenge—unlocking immediate financing while enabling longer-term procurement reforms.
“Through our partnership with Axmed, the Government of Rwanda has shown that meaningful improvements in the efficient and sustainable delivery of high-quality medicines across multiple therapeutic areas can be achieved. Now, through this matching fund, our partnership will expand this impact even further, reaching the most vulnerable with urgency and precision. This matching fund is a strategic step forward in reimagining procurement in a new era of global health: smarter, faster, and designed to deliver measurable results across the entire health system in collaboration with partners who are both innovative and purpose-driven “ said Dr. Loko Abraham, Chief Executive Officer for Rwanda Medical Supply.
Axmed founders: (L to R) Sofia Radley-Searle, Emmanuel Akpakwu and Felix Ohnmacht
The Axmed Platform: Unlocking Scale, Speed, and Savings
Axmed’s digital marketplace connects institutional buyers directly with vetted suppliers, aggregating demand across countries and consolidating procurement at scale. In 2024, Ministries and other procurers using the platform achieved average savings of 20–30%, with select MNCH products realizing up to 80% cost reductions.
Axmed also partners with global logistics providers to manage end-to-end delivery, from manufacturer to last-mile distribution, with full tracking and traceability. The platform has been deployed across multiple LMICs to support national and regional procurement strategies.
“This fund is a clear example of how catalytic financing and technology can work together to deliver immediate and lasting impact,” said Emmanuel Akpakwu, Founder & CEO of Axmed. “Our goal is not just to deliver quality medicines faster and more affordably, but to help build more resilient and efficient procurement systems for the future.”
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About Axmed
Axmed is a technology-enabled marketplace transforming how medicines are sourced, financed, and delivered across underserved markets. By digitizing procurement and connecting buyers directly to quality-assured suppliers, Axmed is redefining access to healthcare—at speed and at scale. Learn more at http://www.axmed.com
About Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.
