What is the name of your organization?
Azanza Telehealth
What is the name of your solution?
AZANZA TELEHEALTH
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Bringing life-saving prenatal care and education to rural Zimbabwe through solar-powered telehealth kiosks and portable ultrasound technology.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Harare, Zimbabwe
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
ZWE
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
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What specific problem are you solving?
Zimbabwe faces one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with rural areas bearing the brunt due to extreme shortages of prenatal care services. Over 60% of the population lives in rural communities where access to ultrasound technology and skilled healthcare providers is virtually nonexistent. This translates to 2.5 to 3.1 Million women of reproductive age at risk of substandard prenatal care. Many women walk over 10 km to the nearest clinic, often missing critical checkups during pregnancy. Telehealth infrastructure is sparse, and delays in diagnosing complications like preeclampsia or fetal distress contribute to preventable maternal and neonatal deaths. These systemic barriers perpetuate cycles of poor maternal health outcomes and deepen healthcare inequality in marginalized regions.
What is your solution?
Our solution is a network of solar-powered medical kiosks equipped with Butterfly iQs, handheld, portable Ultrasound Scan (USS) devices, and Telehealth technology to deliver critical prenatal care to women in rural Zimbabwe. We currently have medical kiosks in Headlands, Hauna and Nyanga which are all rural communities in the Manicaland province of Zimbabwe. The Butterfly iQ+ connects to a smartphone or tablet and provides high-quality imaging using advanced ultrasound-on-a-chip technology. Each kiosk is staffed by a trained local health worker who performs scans using the Butterfly iQ+, then securely transmits the images to remote medical professionals for real-time interpretation and consultation. Telehealth services are provided through mobile networks, enabling doctors to offer immediate guidance and care instructions regardless of distance. The kiosks are entirely solar-powered, allowing them to operate in off-grid communities where traditional healthcare infrastructure is lacking. This seamless integration of cutting-edge diagnostic tools and remote care ensures early detection of pregnancy complications, reduces travel burdens, and empowers women with timely, informed healthcare decisions. Our mission is to expand our network of kiosks to bridge geographical and infrastructural gaps hindering adequate access to prenatal care.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution serves pregnant women in Zimbabwe’s rural and marginalized communities, women who are too often left behind by the healthcare system. Many walk for hours to reach the nearest clinic, only to find there’s no ultrasound machine, no doctor, and sometimes not even a nurse available. Without access to essential prenatal services, their pregnancies become silent gambles, and the risks to both mother and baby are heartbreakingly high. By bringing medical kiosks equipped with Butterfly iQ+ ultrasound and telehealth technology directly into these communities, we eliminate the distance between a woman and the care she needs. These solar-powered hubs provide real-time diagnosis, remote consultations, and crucially, a safe space for regular check-ups guided by trained local health workers. But we go beyond just treatment, our kiosks serve as centres for prenatal education, raising awareness around nutrition, danger signs, and birth preparedness. By embedding care within the fabric of the community, we build trust, shift cultural norms, and empower women with the knowledge and support to navigate pregnancy with confidence. The impact is profound: healthier mothers, safer births, stronger families and a future where no woman is left to face childbirth alone.