Bayer, the German pharmaceutical giant, is slimming down its operations in East and West Africa, announcing it will outsource distribution and customer support for its pharmaceutical products and over-the-counter medicines to a third-party distributor.

While the move promises wider reach and faster access to Bayer's products, it also casts a shadow over the future of some employees in the region.

Effective May 2024, a yet-unnamed "large distributor" with a strong network in the affected markets will take over transportation, local warehousing, distribution, and customer support for Bayer's pharmaceuticals and consumer health products.

This marks a significant shift from the company's current approach of dealing with multiple distributors.

Bayer justifies the move as a way to "simplify its value chain" and reduce the time it takes to get products from production to patients and customers.

The company describes it as a "remodelling" of its distribution operations, similar to a strategy adopted by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) late last year.

"We are calling this initiative 'Smart Serve'," explains Jorge Levinson, Cluster Lead for the Pharmaceuticals Division in South East and West Central Africa.

"It will leverage the expertise and networks of a third-party distributor to ensure sustained availability and access of our products and solutions, especially in family planning, cardiovascular, ophthalmology, self care as well as OTC therapeutic areas."

While Bayer emphasizes the potential benefits of wider reach and faster access, it acknowledges the impact on its workforce.

"We fully recognise the potential impact this will have on the current model, including our people," says Michael Meewes, the cluster lead for Consumer Health.

"We do not underestimate the possible disruption, and we aim to minimise its effects where possible, remaining committed to always treat everyone with respect, dignity, and care."

However, with the crop science division, which accounts for 92 per cent of Bayer's workforce in the region, remaining unaffected, the true extent of job losses and their impact on employees remains unclear.

As the transition unfolds, questions linger about the future of Bayer's employees in East and West Africa, casting a bittersweet shadow on the company's plans for wider reach and faster access to its healthcare solutions.