Starting his professional life as a paramedic, Mosa Mofokeng always knew he wanted to work in pharmaceutical sales. Today, he is the founder of a medical devices company, supplying brain and spine implants across the country.
Mofokeng, who was born in the Vaal, south of Johannesburg, started his business in 2016 after working in the medical sales industry for eight years. He recognised the need for a small business to enter this market as the space was serviced mainly by large corporations.
“I was initially selling equipment for eye care and devices used in ICUs, then I was introduced to the neurosurgery space through my training with Johnson & Johnson. That’s when I saw an opportunity in the market to branch out and start my own business,” he said.
After formally registering the business in 2016, Mofokeng started freelancing as a sales representative for different companies to accumulate funds and save towards buying his own medical devices to sell.
Once he started operating, however, he was faced with several issues. First was funding, which he struggled to secure, and it became difficult to operate out of pocket. “When you start a business, the banks don’t trust that you will be able to pay them back. And we don’t have written contracts in this line of business, in health care. The fact that you don’t have a written agreement or contract with your clients makes it very hard.”
Market access was another difficulty Mofokeng had to navigate as a small business competing with big companies. “For years it’s been a challenge being the new kid on the block, competing with big multinational companies. It has been very, very difficult to be a small company in such a niche market.”
To build relationships and a reputation in the sector, Mofokeng said his company spent years allowing doctors to trial its implants and ensure that the patients did not struggle with the devices.
Today MossMed supplies equipment to several hospitals in the private sector, with 90% of its clients in private hospitals and practices. While it supplies public hospitals as well, it generally avoids the public health-care sector due to payment issues. “We only do 10% of business with government because we struggle to get payment. You can be out of business if you just focus on government, but we enjoy working with both sectors.”
Recently, MossMed received a cash injection of R6m from the National Empowerment Fund, allowing the company to expand its operations and increase the number of its employees. “This funding from the NEF is a significant milestone for MossMed, as it will enable us to grow, create jobs, and make an even greater impact in South Africa’s health-care sector.”
Mofokeng said the company also invested in state-of-the-art equipment for lumbar, cervical and thoracic spinal fusion surgeries, as well as consumables for various procedures. “These upgrades have enabled the business to service more clients and support its commitment to high-quality and affordable health-care solutions.”
After nine years of operating in this space, Mofokeng said MossMed was looking to switch from being registered as a medical device distributor into a manufacturer, so it could produce the implants locally. “We have manufacturers in Pakistan, China and Bulgaria that we have worked with for years. However, we believe that producing locally will also drive our mission to create jobs.”
MossMed has eight permanent staff members, with five working as sales representatives and technicians, who assist doctors during operations to ensure the devices are used correctly. The plan is to expand the company’s product range, get into other markets and increase employment to 50 personnel over the next five years.
Mofokeng said tapping into the sub-Saharan region was also a priority for the company.
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