Based on the information in the case, carry out a Macro-environment analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) clearly articulating the opportunities and threats related to the healthcare Industry. products.The Healthcare Industry in Sub-Saharan AfricaThe sub-Saharan Africa region had 48 countries and an estimated population size of just over one billion,- 11% of the world's population." The region experienced 24% of global diseases, but had only 3% of theworld's doctors.*Although the quality of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa had improved over the past five years, progresswas still slow in most countries. This had resulted in citizens travelling to other countries, such as SouthAfrica, for better quality healthcare – and so becoming so-called "medical tourists". Still, healthcareinvestment was regarded as one of the fastest-growing sectors in Africa, supported by drivers such as afast-growing middle class, who demanded better healthcare, had a growing knowledge of healthcareneeds, and required better healthcare governance." According to Fredré Meiring, debt and capitaladvisory partner at professional services firm Deloitte, apart from South Africa, countries such asBotswana, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania showed signs of an advancing healthcare system.40Clearly, the sub-Saharan Africa countries provided private healthcare companies with opportunities forinvestment. Researcher Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais estimated that US$25–US$30 billion in newinvestment would be needed in healthcare assets to meet the growing healthcare demands of sub-SaharanMoreover, the International Trade Administration estimated growth of US$11.5 billion in theAfrica."medical devices market in 2018 in the Middle East and Africa." (See table below.)42Medical devices market: forecast for growth(in USD billions)20162019RegionAmericas201720182020166.6176.5187.3197.9208.6Asia/Pacific68.772.677.682.988.6Central/EasternMiddle East/Africa14.615.71718.119.11010.811.512.513.2Western Europe79.585.192.6101.4106.2Total339.5360.8386.1412.8435.8Source: Worldwide Medical Devices Forecast to 2020 **Challenges and OpportunitiesEven though most developing countries in the region had an urgent need for healthcare assistance andprivate investment, global research company BMI, in its World Medical Devices Market Factbook 2012–2017, was not optimistic about commercialisation prospects in sub-Saharan Africa. BMI’s reasons rangedfrom "security threats in Nigeria and Kenya to systemic economic and political risks, pressurised aid flowsand corruption". The report also noted that several sub-Saharan Africa markets came with significantregulatory and operational risks."448 The duo sensor technology combined two professional measuring technologies - oscillometric technology and Korotkofftechnology – both used to measure blood pressure, so it reduced the possibility of malfunction, even in patients with heartrhythm disorders. [Source: Paul Hartmann South Africa (2017), “Tensoval® Duo Control", available at:https://za.catalog.hartmann.info/hartmann-shop/assortment/product.html;jsessionid=-JRgLefbugPVYjBzh5SnF0SW?number=17826 (accessed 12 December 2017).]5 Hartmann Southern Africa: Keeping Healthcare Moving ForwardFurther relevant challenges facing sub-Saharan Africa countries included limited energy resources, a"brain drain" of healthcare practitioners at all levels, inaccessibility to medical facilities in rural areas,inadequate road infrastructure, poor power supply and limited government funding. The shortage oftrained healthcare practitioners, including community health workers, was the result of inadequatesalaries, poor working conditions, the unwillingness of international donors to support financing forhuman resources, and a lack of medical schools, among other factors."46Of note was analysts’ emphasis on the importance of mobile technology in delivering better healthcare,given the high penetration of mobile networks in countries in sub-Saharan Africa." According to theWorld Health Organization (WHO), more people across Africa had access to a mobile network than toelectricity, clean water or a medical facility.*8 This was confirmed by a report from mobile operatorassociation, GSMA Intelligence. Its The Mobile Economy: Sub-Saharan Africa 2017 report projected thatmobile network subscriber numbers in sub-Saharan Africa countries would grow from to 420 million(43% of the population) at the end of 2016 to 535 million in 2020." Medical manufacturing companiescould, therefore, take advantage of the region's mobile networks by developing and using mobile solutionsto support their own medical devices.50BMI noted that as a result of an increase in non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes in theregion, more advanced medical equipment was needed. Cancer had become a major public health problemin sub-Saharan Africa. So much so, that BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH) called it a "crisis" andreported that by 2017, 60% more Africans had died from cancer than from malaria." The risk of dyingfrom cancer was very high, because of late diagnosis and lack of treatment due to limited resources.52However, because medical equipment (also for conditions other than cancer) was expensive, companiesthat manufactured low-cost alternatives were in demand in sub-Saharan Africa. Companies operating inthis space included GE Healthcare's Sustainable Healthcare Solutions (SHS) business", which aimed toprovide high-value, low-cost technologies and healthcare delivery solutions to underdeveloped countries.The company had developed low-cost devices in the fields of cardiology, radiology and surgery." Anexample of a low-cost product was the Philips VISIQ portable ultrasound system with high-resolutionimaging in a small, lightweight package with a two-and-a-half-hour battery life.* This portable system,the size of a tablet, was used in remote areas in Kenya to detect critical conditions in pregnancy."53The importance of wound debridement (the medical removal of dead, damaged or infected tissue toimprove healing) and management of traumatic wounds in sub-Saharan Africa countries had beenhighlighted by the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery'. Yet, the commission made no mention ofchronic wounds, nor of training health workers in managing these wounds. Chronic wounds, according toDr Terry Treadwell, who had experience in Africa of treating such wounds, were "a major problem" insub-Saharan Africa countries." Because the most common types of chronic wounds were leg ulcers,pressure ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers, the WHO suggested horizontal systems of primary healthcare inAfrica. Such an approach encouraged different disciplines to work together as a cross-functional team –for example, diabetic experts and leprosy experts could both attend to chronic wounds."56A common ailment in sub-Saharan Africa was obstetric fistulas – a form of urinary incontinence that canarise during childbirth, especially when a trained birth professional or a doctor is not present. An estimated2 million women suffered from the condition in sub-Saharan Africa countries, according to researcherNicole Telfer.8 (See also Exhibits 5a for a map showing sub-Saharan Africa countries, and 5b forcountry-specific information, and the Excel spreadsheet for further information.)h The SHS business aimed to serve the 5.8 billion people in the world with little to no access to healthcare, by means of thedevelopment of disruptive, low-cost technologies and healthcare delivery solutions relevant to multiple care settings and non-traditional users. Digital industrial company GE participated in many business sectors – including power, transportation,healthcare, energy connections and aviation. GE had established an Africa Innovation Centre in South Africa that served as acentre of excellence for innovation and technology transfer to seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. [Source: GE Africa (n.d.),"South Africa: About", available at: www.ge.com/africa/company/south-africa (accessed 30 November 2017); and GEHealthcare (2017), “Sustainable Healthcare Solutions", available at: http://shs.gehealthcare.com/ (accessed 18 January 2018).]i The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery identified and developed programmes to meet underdeveloped countries’ needs by2030.6.||

Question

Based on the information in the case, carry out a Macro-environment analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) clearly articulating the opportunities and threats related to the healthcare Industry. products.The Healthcare Industry in Sub-Saharan AfricaThe sub-Saharan Africa region had 48 countries and an estimated population size of just over one billion,- 11% of the world's population.&#34; The region experienced 24% of global diseases, but had only 3% of theworld's doctors.*Although the quality of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa had improved over the past five years, progresswas still slow in most countries. This had resulted in citizens travelling to other countries, such as SouthAfrica, for better quality healthcare – and so becoming so-called &#34;medical tourists&#34;. Still, healthcareinvestment was regarded as one of the fastest-growing sectors in Africa, supported by drivers such as afast-growing middle class, who demanded better healthcare, had a growing knowledge of healthcareneeds, and required better healthcare governance.&#34; According to Fredré Meiring, debt and capitaladvisory partner at professional services firm Deloitte, apart from South Africa, countries such asBotswana, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania showed signs of an advancing healthcare system.40Clearly, the sub-Saharan Africa countries provided private healthcare companies with opportunities forinvestment. Researcher Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais estimated that US$25–US$30 billion in newinvestment would be needed in healthcare assets to meet the growing healthcare demands of sub-SaharanMoreover, the International Trade Administration estimated growth of US$11.5 billion in theAfrica.&#34;medical devices market in 2018 in the Middle East and Africa.&#34; (See table below.)42Medical devices market: forecast for growth(in USD billions)20162019RegionAmericas201720182020166.6176.5187.3197.9208.6Asia/Pacific68.772.677.682.988.6Central/EasternMiddle East/Africa14.615.71718.119.11010.811.512.513.2Western Europe79.585.192.6101.4106.2Total339.5360.8386.1412.8435.8Source: Worldwide Medical Devices Forecast to 2020 **Challenges and OpportunitiesEven though most developing countries in the region had an urgent need for healthcare assistance andprivate investment, global research company BMI, in its World Medical Devices Market Factbook 2012–2017, was not optimistic about commercialisation prospects in sub-Saharan Africa. BMI’s reasons rangedfrom &#34;security threats in Nigeria and Kenya to systemic economic and political risks, pressurised aid flowsand corruption&#34;. The report also noted that several sub-Saharan Africa markets came with significantregulatory and operational risks.&#34;448 The duo sensor technology combined two professional measuring technologies - oscillometric technology and Korotkofftechnology – both used to measure blood pressure, so it reduced the possibility of malfunction, even in patients with heartrhythm disorders. [Source: Paul Hartmann South Africa (2017), “Tensoval® Duo Control&#34;, available at:https://za.catalog.hartmann.info/hartmann-shop/assortment/product.html;jsessionid=-JRgLefbugPVYjBzh5SnF0SW?number=17826 (accessed 12 December 2017).]5 Hartmann Southern Africa: Keeping Healthcare Moving ForwardFurther relevant challenges facing sub-Saharan Africa countries included limited energy resources, a&#34;brain drain&#34; of healthcare practitioners at all levels, inaccessibility to medical facilities in rural areas,inadequate road infrastructure, poor power supply and limited government funding. The shortage oftrained healthcare practitioners, including community health workers, was the result of inadequatesalaries, poor working conditions, the unwillingness of international donors to support financing forhuman resources, and a lack of medical schools, among other factors.&#34;46Of note was analysts’ emphasis on the importance of mobile technology in delivering better healthcare,given the high penetration of mobile networks in countries in sub-Saharan Africa.&#34; According to theWorld Health Organization (WHO), more people across Africa had access to a mobile network than toelectricity, clean water or a medical facility.*8 This was confirmed by a report from mobile operatorassociation, GSMA Intelligence. Its The Mobile Economy: Sub-Saharan Africa 2017 report projected thatmobile network subscriber numbers in sub-Saharan Africa countries would grow from to 420 million(43% of the population) at the end of 2016 to 535 million in 2020.&#34; Medical manufacturing companiescould, therefore, take advantage of the region's mobile networks by developing and using mobile solutionsto support their own medical devices.50BMI noted that as a result of an increase in non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes in theregion, more advanced medical equipment was needed. Cancer had become a major public health problemin sub-Saharan Africa. So much so, that BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH) called it a &#34;crisis&#34; andreported that by 2017, 60% more Africans had died from cancer than from malaria.&#34; The risk of dyingfrom cancer was very high, because of late diagnosis and lack of treatment due to limited resources.52However, because medical equipment (also for conditions other than cancer) was expensive, companiesthat manufactured low-cost alternatives were in demand in sub-Saharan Africa. Companies operating inthis space included GE Healthcare's Sustainable Healthcare Solutions (SHS) business&#34;, which aimed toprovide high-value, low-cost technologies and healthcare delivery solutions to underdeveloped countries.The company had developed low-cost devices in the fields of cardiology, radiology and surgery.&#34; Anexample of a low-cost product was the Philips VISIQ portable ultrasound system with high-resolutionimaging in a small, lightweight package with a two-and-a-half-hour battery life.* This portable system,the size of a tablet, was used in remote areas in Kenya to detect critical conditions in pregnancy.&#34;53The importance of wound debridement (the medical removal of dead, damaged or infected tissue toimprove healing) and management of traumatic wounds in sub-Saharan Africa countries had beenhighlighted by the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery'. Yet, the commission made no mention ofchronic wounds, nor of training health workers in managing these wounds. Chronic wounds, according toDr Terry Treadwell, who had experience in Africa of treating such wounds, were &#34;a major problem&#34; insub-Saharan Africa countries.&#34; Because the most common types of chronic wounds were leg ulcers,pressure ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers, the WHO suggested horizontal systems of primary healthcare inAfrica. Such an approach encouraged different disciplines to work together as a cross-functional team –for example, diabetic experts and leprosy experts could both attend to chronic wounds.&#34;56A common ailment in sub-Saharan Africa was obstetric fistulas – a form of urinary incontinence that canarise during childbirth, especially when a trained birth professional or a doctor is not present. An estimated2 million women suffered from the condition in sub-Saharan Africa countries, according to researcherNicole Telfer.8 (See also Exhibits 5a for a map showing sub-Saharan Africa countries, and 5b forcountry-specific information, and the Excel spreadsheet for further information.)h The SHS business aimed to serve the 5.8 billion people in the world with little to no access to healthcare, by means of thedevelopment of disruptive, low-cost technologies and healthcare delivery solutions relevant to multiple care settings and non-traditional users. Digital industrial company GE participated in many business sectors – including power, transportation,healthcare, energy connections and aviation. GE had established an Africa Innovation Centre in South Africa that served as acentre of excellence for innovation and technology transfer to seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. [Source: GE Africa (n.d.),&#34;South Africa: About&#34;, available at: www.ge.com/africa/company/south-africa (accessed 30 November 2017); and GEHealthcare (2017), “Sustainable Healthcare Solutions&#34;, available at: http://shs.gehealthcare.com/ (accessed 18 January 2018).]i The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery identified and developed programmes to meet underdeveloped countries’ needs by2030.6.||

Accepted Answer

For the purpose of this question we would be initiating the macro environment analysis with an…