SERVICES
Consultancy | Product Facility | Sales & Marketing | AFFORD Pharmacies | Research & Market Data | Conference
Strategic Business Units
UHMG operates under five strategic business units (SBUs).
- Consultancy:
UHMG actively seeks to attract new project funds from donors in exchange for the delivery of high quality programming and deliverables using its skills, efficiencies and cost containment approaches. Over the last year and half, UHMG won and successfully implemented a contract with the Uganda Programme for Human and Holistic Development (UPHOLD) to train bar and lodge owners and operators in 19 districts on HIV prevention, a grant from East African Breweries Ltd. to distribute Aquasafe to selected slum communities in Kampala, and a five year annual grant as a partner on the USAID HIPS Project led by the Emerging Markets Group.
UHMG also submitted proposals to USAID for the Malaria Communities Program. The Consultancy SBU further aims to support commercial companies to enter the market and NGOs and Cooperating Agencies (CAs) to obtain information and conduct effective communication design.
- Product Facility:
Under this SBU, UHMG acts as a broker between frontline health organizations fighting AIDS, malaria and other diseases, and products and commodities suppliers. UHMG selects high quality product suppliers that offer excellent support services such as timely distribution. UHMG has created a databank with relevant information about each organization's requirements and products available so it can anticipate market needs. By maintaining a highly automatic information system, a reduced but efficient staff and by reducing to a minimum the amount of product in stock, UHMG is able to offer this brokerage service at very low costs. UHMG will re-invest proceeds in improving the product facility and introducing fully cost recoverable products.
- Sales & Marketing:
The core business of UHMG is to facilitate accessibility to a range of quality and affordable health products, such as contraceptive, malaria prevention and treatment, HIV prevention and palliative care, and water treatment, in every corner of Uganda. Due to its ability to directly contract commercial distributors and its innovative distribution approach through Small Scale Entrepreneurs (SSEs), UHMG is able to maintain low and highly competitive prices, even in the Ugandan context.
One Stop Shops/AFFORD Pharmacies:
In order to stimulate market participation and healthy competition, UHMG started a small network of pharmacies to provide health solutions to the majority of health issues requested, offering products ranging from malaria to reproductive tract infection treatments and from contraceptives to basic antibiotics for healthy PLHA. Clients can stop as these “one stop shops” for HIV counseling and testing and pharmaceutical needs on his or her way home.
- Research & Market Data:
UHMG's research and evaluation directorate conducts health marketing and consumer behavior studies that are used to plan and control regular UHMG products and services marketing and sales operations. Simultaneously, UHMG aims to sell information obtained through retail audits, Knowledge Attitude and Practices (KAPs) surveys, and other studies to commercial organizations involved in health products distribution.
Network Conference for Health Marketing Practitioners
UHMG holds an annual Network Conference for Health Marketing Practitioners to create a network of health service marketers and providers to facilitate change, share success stories, improve distribution and identify future opportunities for growth and investment.
UHMG organized the first Network Conference for Health Marketing Practitioners in November 2006 under the theme “Stimulating Growth and Partnerships in Health Marketing.” Over 200 participants and 40 exhibitors from the pharmaceutical industry, financial services, diagnostic services, and health services attended. The second conference, “Innovative Health Marketing Techniques for Improving Efficiencies in the Private Sector,” held in September 2007, saw an encouraging increase in the number and diversity of exhibitors. Special emphasis was placed on evidence based decision making, and the issue of health financing was tackled through sessions on alternatives and access to health finance and health insurance.
The conference is preceded by an exhibition that showcases products and services from manufacturers, distributors, financiers and practitioners.
Conference Objectives
- Create awareness of innovations in health marketing in Uganda
- Bring together key stakeholders to share lessons learned
- Discuss issues affecting health marketing and collectively forge ahead with solutions
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