Medikea

Medikea

Medikea

Making quality healthcare accessible to all through virtual-first care and affordable neighborhood clinics.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

TZA

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

Patients expect quality care, easy accessibility, convenience, transparency, and affordability. But the traditional hospital-centred healthcare system has failed to meet their needs because it is complex, confusing, and frustrating to patients. Patients struggle with the inconvenience of traveling long distances and end up waiting for 4hrs just for 5-minutes consultation with a doctor. There's an uneven distribution of well-equipped medical facilities and best doctors concentrated in few major cities favouring the rich and urban population, leaving the rural population which accounts for over 70% of the entire population with no access to appropriate quality care. When it comes to affordability, only 10% of the population is covered by a health insurance scheme. This puts a heavy economic burden on the 85% uninsured population at risk of falling back to poverty due to out-of-pocket payments. Healthcare in Tanzania reflects persistent inefficiencies across Africa. The public health systems are overcrowded, vary in quality, and are understaffed, often resulting in delayed care, reduced access, and poor patient outcomes. Wait times to see a doctor in the public health system is up to 5 hrs, dramatically delaying the window for treatment options.

Medikea has built a new kind of tech-enabled healthcare system that makes primary and specialty care accessible through its app-based telemedicine and its network of cost-efficient outpatient clinics. This guarantees patients access to quality and affordable medical services 25 times faster than public options, and with prices that are 50% to 70% lower than the traditional private facilities. Through our mobile app, we become patients' first point of contact with the healthcare system. Users can get real-time online consultations provided by our in-house team of doctors conveniently or book an in-person appointment at a nearby clinic. We've also built a network of contracted renowned specialists and hospitals to provide secondary and tertiary care when specialized care, medical procedures, or surgery is required. To complement our online healthcare services, we have our flagship in-person clinic where patients whose needs cannot be met online can see our doctors. The clinic has an in-house pharmacy and laboratory, giving us the capability to deliver a full cycle of convenient care through at-home lab testing and medicine delivery.

Our solution serves the 85% of Tanzania's population that remains uninsured and struggles with healthcare access. This includes both urban residents who face long wait times and inconvenience at public facilities, and the rural population (over 70% of Tanzanians) who have minimal access to quality healthcare due to distance and cost barriers. We particularly focus on patients with chronic conditions who require regular monitoring and medication. As I witnessed with my chronically ill father, these individuals face significant challenges in managing their health, from time-consuming clinic visits to the high cost and difficulty of acquiring routine medications. Our solution impacts their lives by providing convenient, affordable access to healthcare. Patients can consult with doctors from home, saving transportation costs and time. They receive medications delivered directly to their homes, improving treatment adherence. For those requiring in-person care, our neighborhood clinics minimize travel distances. By making healthcare 25 times faster than public options and 50-70% cheaper than private facilities, we're helping patients receive timely care without financial strain, preventing life-threatening complications and keeping families from falling into poverty due to medical expenses.