The COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact by helping to unlock the limitless possibilities of technology in healthcare service delivery. The necessity to maintain social distancing and quarantine measures prompted the rapid development of telemedicine and health tech innovations worldwide. This shift has given rise to new business models that incorporate digital technology to enhance healthcare access and delivery.
Africa, in particular, has benefited greatly from this transformation, with numerous health tech and telemedicine startups emerging across the continent. In North Africa, specifically, several companies are revolutionizing medical service delivery through their innovative approaches. These companies are leveraging technology to bridge the gap in healthcare access and improve patient care.
Now, let’s explore nine of these remarkable health tech and telemedicine companies that are making a significant impact in North Africa.
Rology
Year Founded: 2017
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Rology is a telehealth company enabling healthcare consumers in underserved areas to access bespoke medical services by connecting them to radiologists and modern healthcare facilities. The company leverages digital technology to enable patients in local communities to access high-quality medical image analysis and diagnostic services.
Rology aims to bridge the gap between radiologists and patients lacking access to premium health services in African communities. Thus, it operates a teleradiology platform to connect patients with radiologists.
Through Rology’s platform, patients can receive diagnoses and treatment plans in a timely and cost-effective manner, improving health outcomes and reducing the burden on healthcare systems.
Essentially, the company serves as a channel between diagnostics and premium health services providers and patients. It has partnered with numerous notable radiology labs and medical centers around Egypt, helping them provide their services to consumers who need them.
Rology is a leading example of a health-tech startup that is leveraging technology to improve access to healthcare services and improve health outcomes for underserved communities.
Yodawy
Year Founded:2018
Location: Al Jizah, Egypt
Yodawy is a telemedicine company helping Africans to access healthcare services at their convenience. The company enables patients to manage their medication and healthcare services online, while also allowing healthcare providers to access patient data and analytics.
Yodawy’s services primarily focus on improving access to medication and healthcare services, particularly for patients in remote and underserved areas. It operates a digital platform that connects pharmacies, patients, and healthcare providers.
In addition, by digitizing the healthcare process, Yodawy enables patients to receive medication reminders and alerts, reducing the risk of missed doses and subsequent hospitalizations.
Yodawy aims to increase medication adherence and reduce healthcare costs. The company currently serves thousands of patients and healthcare providers across Egypt. As a result, it is helping to reduce healthcare disparities and improve the overall health of the Egyptian population.
DeepEcho
Year Founded: 2020
Location: Rabat, Morocco
DeepEcho is an AI-based diagnostic company that uses machine learning algorithms to improve the accuracy and efficiency of medical image analysis. The company aims to reduce errors in diagnostic processes and the time it takes patients to receive treatment.
DeepEcho’s services are focused on the areas of radiology and pathology, enabling radiologists and other healthcare providers to diagnose medical conditions with greater efficiency. The company incorporates artificial intelligence and other futuristic solutions into its services to improve outputs.
The company particularly focuses on reducing infant and maternal mortality rates through its AI-powered ultrasound imaging and prenatal diagnosis. But that’s not all, DeepEcho’s technology is improving health outcomes all around by reducing the cost and time of medical image analysis thereby improving access to healthcare services for underserved populations.
So far, the company has enjoyed a positive run, being selected as one of the three beneficiaries of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Funding
Dabadoc
Year Founded: 2014
Location: Casablanca, Morocco
Dabadoc is a health tech company focused on improving access to healthcare for Africans. It connects patients with healthcare providers conveniently and efficiently giving them access to a wide range of healthcare providers and enabling them to secure appointments online.
Dabadoc aims to democratize access to healthcare with its practice management solution and disruptive online booking technology. Its digital infrastructure is designed to help patients find healthcare providers based on specialty, location, and availability, and book appointments directly.
Dabadoc is helping to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and drive innovation in the healthcare industry. Also, By providing healthcare providers with access to a wider patient base, Dabadoc is helping to create new business opportunities for medical professionals and entrepreneurs.
Cure Bionics
Year Founded: 2018
Location: Sousse, Tunisia
Cure Bionics is a biomedical engineering company that specializes in developing innovative solutions for amputees. The company aims to design and make prosthetics readily available and affordable for those who need them.
Cure Bionics are the creators of Hannibal Arms. These are advanced 3D-printed bionic arms with multi-grip functionalities. Hannibal Arms are easy to manufacture, efficient, and quite affordable compared to similar products made from other materials. Plus, they are lightweight and customizable, allowing the users to design their new prosthetics to their taste.
Cure Bionics solution is targeted at below-the-elbow amputees above the age of 8, allowing them to acquire new prosthetics without breaking the bank. The company is revolutionizing the bionics market in North Africa – leveraging technology to help people get easy and affordable replacements for lost arms.
Vezeeta
Year Founded: 2012
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Vezeeta is a telemedicine company that provides a convenient and accessible platform for virtual medical consultations. It aims to overcome barriers to healthcare access, particularly in remote or underserved areas.
Vezeeta’s primary service is focused on connecting patients with qualified healthcare professionals through secure online video consultations. It operates a digital platform where patients get to seek medical advice, receive diagnoses, and even get prescriptions without the need for in-person visits.
Vezeeta is bridging the gap between patients and healthcare providers, making quality healthcare more accessible to a broader population. By utilizing telemedicine technology, the startup contributes to reducing the strain on healthcare systems and increases efficiency in healthcare delivery.
The company currently serves users in MENA, east, and West Africa with a presence in Egypt, SA, Lebanon, Jordan, Kenya, and Nigeria.
CheckMe Health
Year Founded: 2020
Location: Cairo, Egypt
CheckMe Health is a health tech company empowering individuals to monitor and manage their health more effectively. Check Me Health aims to promote proactive health monitoring and personalized wellness by providing users with accessible tools to watch their health indicators.
The company operates a telemedicine platform that connects users to labs where they can take quick tests and track their physical condition such as Covid Status, Kidney Functions, Pregnancy Status, and many more. Users can also consult doctors online and book appointments for physical visits via the platform. Not only that, the platform allows users to procure pharmaceutical products by placing requests for them.
CheckMe Health is redefining medical access by integrating all essential healthcare services into holistic, patient-centric programs. Through the company’s platform, users can get all the medical services they need from consultation, testing, and diagnoses, to medication supplies wherever they are in North Africa.
Docspert Health
Year Founded: 2019
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Docspert Health is a health tech company that specializes in providing innovative telemedicine solutions. It aims to enable patients to overcome geographical barriers and receive premium healthcare consultations from experts in Europe, Asia, and America. The company is bridging the gap between patients and healthcare providers, particularly in areas with limited access to medical services.
The company’s primary products and services revolve around facilitating remote medical consultations by connecting patients in Africa with qualified healthcare professionals on other continents through their secure online platform. Docspert Health’s user-friendly interface allows patients to easily schedule virtual appointments, receive medical advice, and access personalized healthcare services, all from the comfort of their own homes.
Through its products and services, Docspert Health is extending access to healthcare services to a wider population and facilitating prompt medical intervention. By leveraging technology to provide a seamless virtual consultation experience, the company is positively impacting the well-being of the communities it serves.
Bypa-ss
Year Founded: 2019
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Bypa-ss is an Egyptian health tech company that’s revolutionizing medical data collection, storage, and exchange. By providing a unified environment for healthcare information exchange, the company is enhancing collaboration between patients and healthcare providers.
Bypa-ss’ primary product is a secure and user-friendly mobile application that allows patients to access their medical records and securely share them with healthcare providers.
The product helps to streamline the healthcare experience, reduce administrative burden, and improve service reception for users. Essentially, it enables patients to take an active role in managing their healthcare journey.
Bypa-ss is creating a world-class healthcare information exchange environment. The company gives healthcare consumers ownership of their health records and the ability to share them with any healthcare provider of their choice securely and conveniently.
