Ugandan Health Innovators Show It's Possible to Provide Medicare Under Two Hours

Preggify is a telehealth platform that provides 24-hour support for pregnant women, where they can connect with doctors, get prescriptions and receive guidance on how to navigate their pregnancy. The platform also organizes weekly educational classes, conducts regular vital and blood pressure measurements and also monitors expecting mothers’ mental health. The platform was founded in 2022 and has built a community of about 2,000 women.

Telehealth appointments make it easier for people with disabilities to access healthcare, including medication abortions, by allowing those in need to access care from the comfort of their own homes. For many people, this eliminates several access barriers they often face when seeking care. Post-Roe, medication abortion via telehealth visits accounts for 16% of all reported abortions.

The Medeecal app increases healthcare access by providing a range of telehealth services including health education, free medical consultations, preventative care, referrals and follow-up care. As of March 2023, the app has over 1,000 registered patients and provides about eight consultations a day.

The PROMPTS AI messaging platform helps connect expecting mothers to proper care to improve maternal and infant health outcomes while reducing the risk of complications. PROMPTS is essentially an AI triage system that allows patients to communicate, ask questions and get referrals to clinics depending on their situation. So far over one million mothers across 21 counties have used their mobile phone numbers to enroll in PROMPTS.

The Tufunguke initiative works to raise awareness, educate and provide a community for those experiencing mental health issues. Tufunguke creates a safe space both online through social media platforms and in person through events for people to come together to discuss mental health and get connected with care resources Tufunguke reaches about 100,000 people a month through its many social media accounts.

JEAY Healthcare is an app that provides quick, accessible healthcare that is both convenient and affordable. People who sign up on the app can consult physicians through audio and video calls, perform medical tests, book lab appointments, get prescriptions and order medical equipment straight to their doorstep. Since the app launched in February 2023, there have been 130 daily users recorded between the ages of 18 and 24.

The future of medical devices is beginning to heavily rely on the integration of technological advances including apps, robotic and 3-D printing. From increasing education around diabetes via an app to digital smart pills that treat mental illnesses, technology has become a crucial partner to not just those working in the health industry, but also to the consumers.

Teenspace is a free online therapy program that offers video and text-based mental health support. Nearly 7,000 teens have signed up for the program so far, and 65% of them have reported an improvement in their mental health since connecting to a licensed therapist through the platform.

Emergency Response Africa connects patients with first responders, ambulances and emergency-ready hospitals so they can get the care they need as quickly as possible. A 24-hour command center that can be reached by phone or mobile app dispatches the emergency response team of trained paramedics, which then brings the patient to one of the 82 verified emergency hospitals. Since it was established in 2021, Emergency Response Africa has received 1,243 emergency calls.

Hello Mama was a mobile messaging program launched in Nigeria to send health tips and advice to pregnant women to help prevent child and maternal deaths.