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EF: Which of Organon's breakthroughs or innovative solutions in the last two years do you consider the most noteworthy and take pride in?
MM: The formation of the Coalition for Women's Health in Africa (COWHA) seeks to unite like-minded organizations and create a platform for collaboration. By doing so, COWHA aims to amplify its impact in improving women's health across Africa. Notably, we acknowledge the need to address cultural practices that impede women's access to healthcare services and healthy living. Among these practices is female genital mutilation, which adversely affects women's sexual health and well-being. As a coalition, COWHA aims to engage relevant stakeholders in advocating for policy changes that promote gender equality in healthcare and meaningful, healthy living.
Furthermore, addressing mass health issues requires a multisectoral approach. COWHA recognizes the importance of a robust telecommunications system supporting telemedicine and healthcare information access. Additionally, ensuring families access proper nutrition requires an agricultural and climate change perspective. Therefore, resolving health issues requires a multisectoral, multi-state effort.
EF: May you define IBA, EPA, and Biosimilars for us?
MM: This business unit operates in three distinct areas: English and Portuguese Africa business (EPA), which covers 12 countries and focuses on commercial activities in both the private and public sectors; Institutional Business Africa (IBA), which involves working with international donor funders and implementation partners to supply contraceptives at a more reasonable price, strengthen the healthcare system, and provide education on sexual and reproductive health; and biosimilars, a new business venture focused on bringing affordable, high-quality products to improve women's health. Biosimilars are biologic similar molecules. With a multi-central approach through partnerships and unconventional solutions, we address challenges along the supply chain and acquire assets globally to enhance our offerings. Our efforts in this space have recently included securing products focused on improving menopause. Additionally, I serve on a local board of directors and find it to be an enjoyable experience.
EF: Could you elaborate on the significance of women's health in South Africa and expand on the measures you have taken to enhance awareness in this domain?
MM: Prioritizing women's health is a universal problem, not unique to any particular country. To amplify the focus on women's health, we created the concept of uniting various stakeholders to make more impactful shifts in this space. Our coalition has successfully launched in Addis Ababa and South Africa, with many stakeholders coming together to solve challenges such as sexual and reproductive health and cancer that affect women. This critical element can help governments achieve sustainable development goals and ultimately attain universal healthcare. Our vision for the coalition is much bigger than the present, as what we do now is for future generations of women. We aim to provide healthcare and empower women, ensure their leadership, and include them in conversations. Doing so brings up a new generation of women who can create a better future. It is important to get their insights about what they would like to hear more about, as they are the future of healthcare.
EF: How is Organon balancing a profitable venture and the responsibility to provide accessible and affordable healthcare for women in South Africa?
MM: As we consider solutions for South Africa, we must also consider solutions for the entire African continent, as the issue of women's health is a common challenge across the region. One area of exploration is sustainable financing for healthcare. We are looking into alternative financing mechanisms to ensure more people can afford healthcare, recognizing that this is a complex challenge requiring a multisectoral, multistakeholder approach. Technology, such as telemedicine and mobile phones, can be utilized to improve access to healthcare. Our organization is actively contributing to the field of telehealth. It is crucial to continuously invest in this space, which is why we recently acquired assets and are constantly seeking pipeline products to advance women's health.
EF: Could you elaborate on the significance of your role in driving operations in South Africa and the broader African context?
MM: As the overseer of operations in sub-Saharan Africa, I was free to reevaluate and restructure the business. Implementing drastic changes was necessary for business improvement, such as addressing market insights gaps through hiring someone in-market. Our clear roadmap for both the EPA and IBA businesses and biosimilars has enabled us to stay ahead of the game. I have approached this role as a leader of the organization, taking an enterprise-wide approach to managing all interdependencies. This has been an incredible learning experience with an exciting experimentation aspect.
EF: Which metrics do you use to measure your success in South Africa?
MM: In April 2021, we established our aspirations for the next five years with the leadership team for South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. We recently met and found that we have achieved all our targets. Our success can be attributed to having a clear vision for the organization, setting specific priorities, and measuring progress with key performance indicators (KPIs). Additionally, we form agile teams from various parts of the organization to solve problems, yield solutions, empower employees, and build the talent pipeline. We conduct surveys and have regular one-on-one meetings to ensure organizational health and accessibility to leadership at all levels. In these times, having empathy and understanding of employees' situations is crucial, and leadership styles are evolving rapidly.
EF: In your opinion, do you anticipate a shift in the skill sets required for future employees?
MM: Adaptability, courage, and continuous self-reflection are key skills in today's business world. Asking questions and seeking feedback is essential for growth and development, but building relationships is critical to ensuring trust and open communication. Data analysis and predictive analytics are becoming increasingly important for decision-making. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the power of technology in accelerating medicine creation and has fostered a mindset of innovation and speed.
Telemedicine has enabled remote doctor consultations and even robotic surgery across oceans. There is a growing trend of homes becoming healthcare centers and patients potentially being admitted to their homes. FemTech solutions are promoting self-care, which is becoming increasingly important. Women's health is crucial for healthy families, societies, and the world, as emphasized in a recent Organon article on the cost of not investing in healthcare. Organon encourages women to share their healthcare challenges, such as menstrual poverty, menopause, and fibroids, to empower them with information and support. Organon's purpose is to reduce or prevent 120 million unintended pregnancies, so we partnered with UNFPA to provide grants at the country level to empower women. Empowering young girls to make informed choices is essential to improving the world.
EF: Other than celebrating your 100th and 2nd year anniversaries, what else will you celebrate at the end of this year?
MM: As the year draws to a close, several accomplishments are worth celebrating at Organon. Among them is establishing a unique organizational culture that distinguishes us from our peers. Even colleagues who left the company for other organizations attest to this fact. Additionally, we have achieved our local subsidiary's aspirations, providing us with momentum to dream and aspire to greater heights. Our commitment to impacting women's lives remains unwavering, exemplified by the success of the IBA over the last 11 years. IBA has impacted 33 million women across 33 African countries, and we remain dedicated to increasing access through our products and education while contributing meaningfully to the communities we serve.
