Gukiza

Hurone AI

Gukiza

Making AI-driven precision cancer care and support accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Seattle, Washington

USA

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

In sub-Saharan Africa cancer is a growing crisis with devastating consequences. By 2040, cancer cases in Africa are projected to double to 1.4 million annually, with most (over 70%) patients only being diagnosed at advanced stages, mortality rates 70% higher than in high-income countries, and 40% of affected families subjected to catastrophic financial hardship (International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2022; World Health Organization, 2024; International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2021). This disparity stems from three critical challenges: 1) Extreme distances between patients and cancer centers, with some patients traveling over 200km, which lead to high treatment abandonment rates – up to 50% in some regions (Lancet Oncology, 2022). 2) Fragmented healthcare systems create discontinuity in care, manifested in patient records that are scattered across facilities and inaccessible when needed most, which results in disjointed treatment journeys and poor outcomes (Lancet Oncology Commission 2022). 3) Low concordance with cancer treatment guidelines – less than 40% in some settings, largely due to clinicians' limited access to up-to-date protocols and decision support tools, which leads to better quality of care and ultimately outcomes (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2024).

Hurone AI's Gukiza platform is an end-to-end AI-driven solution that democratizes access to high-quality, guideline-concordant cancer care. Gukiza bridges the vast spatial gap between patients and cancer centers while addressing the fragmentation of healthcare systems. The platform works through three key components: 1) Guideline-Concordant Treatment Pathways: Gukiza enables clinicians to automatically generate treatment care pathways that adhere to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Harmonized Guidelines for Sub-Saharan Africa. This ensures every patient receives the highest standard of care regardless of location or provider experience. Clinicians can review these evidence-based recommendations instantly. 2) Real-time Patient Monitoring: Using WhatsApp and text messaging systems accessible on basic mobile phones, Gukiza maintains continuous connections with patients across vast distances. Patients report symptoms and treatment adherence, which are analyzed to identify and help providers address complications before they become severe. 3) Unified Health Records: Gukiza integrates fragmented patient data into a single, accessible system, creating continuity across the patient journey and enabling coordinated care across multiple facilities. Gukiza is cloud-based, requiring minimal infrastructure investment, and operates in multiple languages to overcome literacy barriers.

Gukiza directly serves cancer patients in underserved regions of sub-Saharan Africa, predominantly women affected by breast and cervical cancers. Our primary beneficiaries include: 1) Cancer patients who often travel long distances for treatment, often leading to missed appointments and treatment discontinuation. Gukiza provides them with remote monitoring and guidance, reducing the need for frequent travel while ensuring continuity of care. 2) Low-income cancer patients who cannot afford repeated hospital visits or manage treatment complications independently. Gukiza helps prevent dangerous and costly emergency hospitalizations through early intervention. 3) Healthcare providers in resource-constrained settings who struggle to provide guideline-concordant care. Gukiza gives them the ability to provide the highest level of care and monitor more patients effectively and prioritize those most in need of immediate attention. By providing accessible, culturally-appropriate cancer care support, Gukiza significantly improves treatment adherence, reduces complications, and increases survival rates.