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RH Managers, a Johannesburg-based private equity firm, in partnership with the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (Sefda), has launched a R75 million ($4.48 million) fund to support private medical professionals, expand access to quality healthcare in underserved communities, and help address the persistent underemployment of doctors in South Africa.
The Doctor SME Fund is aimed at early- and growth-stage doctor-led healthcare businesses operating in underserved urban and peri-urban communities.
The fund provides senior debt financing of up to R1 million ($59,737) per SME. The loans are repayable over five years, with interest rates of up to 5% a year. Moratoriums on both capital and interest are tailored case by case depending on the needs of each business. Beyond funding, beneficiaries also receive operational support, including feasibility guidance, marketing support, and structured loan management systems.
The fund specifically targets outpatient clinics, diagnostic centres, mobile health units, integrated pharmacies, health-tech platforms, and other practitioner-led healthcare businesses serving local communities.
Each investment is structured to deliver measurable impact by expanding access to healthcare, stimulating local economic activity, creating jobs, and strengthening South Africa’s healthcare ecosystem.
Quinton Zunga, CEO of RH Managers, said: “The fund responds directly to systemic pressures within the healthcare system. South Africa produces highly skilled medical professionals every year, yet many face limited employment opportunities in the public sector. Through the Doctor SME Fund, we are creating a practical solution – enabling doctors to become healthcare entrepreneurs. By supporting doctor-led enterprises in underserved communities, we simultaneously address access to care, professional underemployment, and local economic development.”
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