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AFROCENTRIC GROUP AQUIRES DENTAL BENEFIT MANAGEMENT COMPANY DENIS GROUP

JOHANNESBURG, December 12, 2019 - AfroCentric Group, South Africa’s largest health administration and medical risk management solutions provider, has acquired the dental benefit management company, Dental Information Systems Holdings Proprietary Limited (DENIS Group).

The acquisition of DENIS from EOH makes AfroCentric Group, which owns a health companies such as Medscheme, pharmaceutical distributor, Pharmacy Direct, drug manufacturer Activo and several other health related companies, one the most diversified group in the healthcare sector on the Johannesburg Stocks Exchange.

"Over the last few years, AfroCentric Group has made a number of strategic and targeted acquisitions to diversify the group. We are now the most diversified group in the healthcare sector on the JSE. This positions us favourably to innovate and to be competitive in the various sectors we operate," said Ahmed Banderker, CEO of AfroCentric Group.

DENIS is one of only three managed care organization accredited by the Council for Medical Schemes that specialize exclusively in dental benefit management. 

 Established in 1996, DENIS enjoys a substantial market share and is the only specialised dental benefit manager unaligned to AfroCentric competitors. 

"This acquisition of DENIS enables us to focus specifically on cost reduction and innovation in the dental treatment offerings to medical scheme members," said Banderker. 

Banderker said as part of AfroCentric’s offerings in administration of medical schemes, the acquisition gives the group, especially subsidiaries like Medscheme, the capability to provide clients comprehensive dental management solutions, which it is not currently in a position to do.

"As part of AfroCentric Group, there is growth potential for DENIS as some of their offerings can be made available to our clients. In addition, Denis also has clients not serviced by the AfroCentric Group, so it’s a win for all stakeholders," he said.

Banderker said the acquisition also means that the AfroCentric Group, now plays in all segments of healthcare except the facilities or hospital sector, with a focus on three main areas of health administration, pharmaceuticals and corporate or workforce support.

Denis combines its extensive experience in dental risk management with the technology to offer a dental benefit service, including adapting benefits to address priority needs, optimising the use of benefits, comprehensive claims managed care, pre-authorisation services, call centre services, forensic audit services, benefit design services, clinical advisory services and network management services.

About AfroCentric Group
AfroCentric Group is the most diversified healthcare organisation in southern Africa, with over four million lives covered in the region.  The Group is the most transformed entity listed in the healthcare sector of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with a focus on health administration, health risk management, wellness and disease management as well as health-centric information and communications technology-based solutions. Entities under AfroCentric include Helios IT Solutions, Scriptpharm Risk Management, Mmed Distribution, Wellness Odyssey, Essential Group, Pharmacy Direct, Allegra, DBC South Africa, and Aid for AIDS and its largest entity, Medscheme Holdings.

Medscheme is the largest health risk management services provider and is among the leading medical scheme administrators in South Africa with more than 3, 7 million lives under management. Its clients include the country’s major open medical schemes Bonitas, Hosmed and Fedhealth, as well as several closed schemes.