About us
Tanzania's first local ambulance manufacturer
So Medical Company Limited was founded in 2024 with a single mission: to build reliable, standards-compliant ambulances in Tanzania — for Tanzania and the wider East African region.
Background
Our story
Tanzania's public health system has long depended on imported ambulances — vehicles designed for European roads, serviced by overseas supply chains, and priced beyond the reach of many district hospitals. So Medical was established to change that.
Founded in 2024 and registered in Tanzania, So Medical Company Limited is building one of the country's first dedicated ambulance assembly facilities in the Tanga Region, operating under a Manufacturer Under Bond framework. Our facility assembles Toyota Land Cruiser 78-based ambulances — the platform trusted across East Africa for its durability, ground clearance and parts availability.
We are delivered in partnership with Avtoprom Ltd, an internationally certified ambulance manufacturer with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 accreditation and a track record of supplying over 1,000 ambulances per year to UNOPS, UNDP, the World Bank and the Red Cross. That international expertise, combined with our local presence and government partnership, means every vehicle we produce meets recognised global standards while being built, serviced and supported in Tanzania.
What we stand for
Our principles
Local first
We build in Tanzania, for Tanzania — reducing import dependency and building national industrial capacity.
Standards-compliant
Every vehicle meets ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 requirements, the same standards applied to ambulances supplied to the UN and Red Cross.
Procurement-ready
Our vehicles and processes are structured to meet government, NGO and institutional procurement requirements.
After-sales support
Local assembly means local expertise — faster maintenance, shorter downtime and a support team that understands the terrain.
Manufacturing partner
Our international manufacturing partner
Avtoprom Ltd is a certified ambulance manufacturer with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 accreditation. With over 1,000 ambulances produced annually and a client list that includes UNOPS, UNDP, the World Bank and the Red Cross, Avtoprom brings world-class engineering and quality management to every vehicle assembled under the So Medical brand.
Government partnership
Government of Tanzania partnership
So Medical operates under a formal partnership with the Government of Tanzania. Tanga Regional Commissioner Dr Batilda Burian has publicly welcomed the initiative, noting that locally assembled ambulances will accelerate distribution and help medical teams reach people in urgent need — particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Read the press coverage in The Citizen