The rise of health start-ups in Nigeria
It is no longer business as usual in Nigeria’s health sector as many start-ups are swelling the industry with innovations. This is important given many gaps in the country’s health system which should provide opportunities for entrepreneurs.
At the moment, Redbank is providing a platform to help hospitals and patients to quickly and easily search and find safe blood through SMS.
All a patient or hospital needs to do is send an SMS containing the blood type, number of pints needed, local government and state of location, to 35070.
The patient or hospital will, within a short time, receive an SMS with details of nearest blood banks.
This start-up was founded by Adeyanju Toluwanimi (operations lead), Adereti Francis (business lead) and Ojediran Tunde (technical lead), who are determined to reduce deaths occurring from blood shortages and scarcity in the country.
Another health start-up that is redefining the industry is Flying Doctors Nigeria, founded by Ola Orekunrin, a medical doctor and helicopter pilot.
Flying Doctors Nigeria (FDN) is a medical emergency service that specialises in air ambulances, medico-logistics services, remote site medical solutions services, medical infrastructural development and medical training services.
Orekunrin founded this firm after her younger sister died while traveling in Nigeria. The lady’s death was attributed to lack of medical air service available to move her to hospital.
Flying Doctors is the first ambulance company in West Africa and boasts of 20 charter aircraft in good condition.
She was born in London and studied at the University of York, graduating at the young age of 21.
“On any level, Ola Orekunrin is an inspirational Lioness of Africa, making not just a difference to the lives of patients in Nigeria, but across Africa and the globe through her example. She is a successful woman entrepreneur and inspirational leader in a world that needs more like her,” an online platform known as lionessesofafrica.com quoted Melanie Hawken, LoA founder and editor-in-chief, as saying.
Also, Drug Interface, a health start-up, was launched last November. It is focused on helping medical professionals find local and international opportunities.
Through the platform, medical experts gain information on grants, scholarships, jobs, internships, fellowships, academic openings and areas where medical services are in high demand.
There is also PurpleSource Healthcare, led by Olufemi Sunmonu. The firm is a healthcare management and investment company creating integrated private health systems in Nigeria spanning preventive, curative, diagnostic, rehabilitation and wellness healthcare enterprises. It was founded to address the current quality and outcomes shortcomings in the Nigerian healthcare market.
MOBicure was recently founded to bring healthcare to the doorsteps of Nigerians using mobile technology.
Its flagship product is called Omomi, which is a mobile platform for pregnant women and mothers of under-5s enabling them to monitor their children’s health and have access to specific and life-saving maternal and child health information, as well as medical expertise at the touch of a button.
More so, Safermom has come into the space to help mothers monitor and track their pregnancies and babies development through SMS, voice call or mobile app.
Apart from those already mentioned, Meditell is now around to support hospitals. Meditell assists patients in taking their drugs through reminder alerts. What this platform does is to send SMS to patients and alert them on the exact time to take their medications.
Also, Kangpe has provided a platform to enable users to ask doctors their health questions and get answers within 10 minutes.
ODINAKA ANUDU