Biometrics for vaccine delivery (Simprints Technology)

The Problem

Across the developing world, there are huge gaps between administrative and WHO survey vaccine coverage data. The average gap in Bangladesh is over 17 percent and in Nigeria the discrepancy rises to almost 34 percent. This lack of accurate data makes it extremely difficult for frontline health workers to accurately administer care. Each percentage gap indicates millions of children slipping through the cracks and missing out on life-saving vaccinations.

The Solution

Simprints’ solution is a camera-based, contactless, biometric product, which utilises facial recognition to ensure the verified delivery of every vaccine dose . Health workers register people’s biometrics against a record on a data collection app with their vaccination history. The next time a beneficiary turns up, the health worker can pull up their record using face biometrics, ensuring that the right record is identified and a continuum of care is maintained. Contactless biometrics also protect health workers from potential transmission by fomites. Further, biometric identification offers a powerful and under-leveraged strategy to verify coverage and impact of development interventions, ensuring every dollar is accounted for to prevent waste and fraud. 

To counter the racial and gender biases found in camera-based algorithms, Simprints’ contactless biometrics solution harnesses inclusive, ethical AI to improve accuracy, cost-efficiency, and scalability. Simprints also extends the principles of the EU’s GDPR to any country of operation, and implements the strictest security measures when processing and storing biometric data.

Stats

850,000 beneficiaries have been enrolled with Simprint’s biometrics system 

Market Opportunity

The global biometric system market size is expected to grow from $33 billion in 2019 to $65.3 billion by 2024. According to the World Bank over 1.1 billion people, or 1 in 7 worldwide, lack formal identification. The ability to identify individuals accurately and reliably is a fundamental condition for providing essential services for health, finance, and social protection programmes. Simprints sees an opportunity to further expand its work by contributing to the Covid-19 vaccine distribution process. 

Organization Highlights

• Winner of the 2019 World Bank Mission Billion Challenge

• Recognized by USAID as "1 of the 15 Most Promising Innovations to Save the Lives of Mothers and Children" in 2017 

• Ranked as “1 of 5 Tech Start-ups that can Solve the World's Biggest Problems” by Forbes in 2018

• Awarded UNICEF and TechCrunch's 'Best Tech: Changing Children's Lives for Good'

• Founders named to the Forbes "30 under 30" Social Entrepreneurs

Partnership Goals

Simprints currently seeks: 

• A digital health expert with experience working with governments in developing countries—as an entrepreneur, with an NGO, or industry—to join their board of directors

• Experts in global health, tech4dev or the digital health space, ideally with a technical background, to provide mentorship and advice around company strategy, operations, and growth