What is the name of your organization?
ACUBED Ltd
What is the name of your solution?
CO-LAB
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Order diagnostic tests online, anywhere, anytime
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
Ethiopia
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Challenges associated with access to diagnostic tests are severe and widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa, which severely limits access to timely and accurate healthcare. In the communities we serve, only 19% of primary care facilities offer basic diagnostic tests, according to a multicountry study across 10 African nations. In Ethiopia, our own research revealed that 52% of patients experienced diagnostic test unavailability, and 89% of them faced this issue multiple times. Often, patients are forced to search for tests on their own across facilities. Patients are 6 times more likely to face this issue in public health facilities, and married individuals are 3 times more vulnerable.
Globally, the lack of diagnostic access contributes to over 50% of patients not receiving proper care, according to the Lancet Commission on Diagnostics. This leads to delayed diagnoses, mismanagement of diseases, prolonged illness, and preventable deaths. Overall, the unavailability of diagnostic tests have dire consequences on the health outcome of the patients in low resource settings such as Ethiopia and Rwanda.
What is your solution?
Our solution, Co-Lab, is a digital platform that connects patients with diagnostic testing services through a mobile app and call center. It functions as a one-stop marketplace where users can search, order, and receive diagnostic tests from multiple partner health facilities.
Here’s how it works: patients use the app or call center to select the tests they need, choose a nearby facility, and schedule a sample collection at their convenience. Licensed health professionals collect the samples, which are then transported to partner labs. Once processed, results are delivered securely to the user through the app or in person.
Technologically, Co-Lab is built using React Native for cross-platform access and hosted on Google Cloud Platform for scalability and reliability. The platform is simple, accessible, and tailored for both urban and semi-urban communities in Africa.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution serves underserved and overlooked populations in urban and semi-urban areas of Ethiopia and Rwanda. Particularly, we focus on patients aged 20–55, individuals with chronic illnesses, and young people seeking private and confidential testing for conditions like STIs. Many rely on overstretched public health facilities, where diagnostic tests are often unavailable or delayed. Furthermore, patients are forced to search across multiple clinics, increasing treatment delays.
Co-Lab directly addresses these challenges by making diagnostic services more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly. By allowing patients to order tests anytime, from anywhere, and receive nearby sample collection and fast results.
Our solution also benefits partner health facilities by increasing their diagnostic reach and creates income opportunities for healthcare workers onboarded as gig workers. In doing so, Co-Lab enhances health outcomes, empowers users with control over their health, and builds a more responsive, inclusive healthcare system in low-resource settings.
