Zuri Health, a Nairobi-based digital healthcare firm that offers low-cost healthcare via mobile, has closed a fundraising round led by Launch Africa, DOB Equity, and Founders Factory Africa to expand across Africa.
Platform Capital, V8 Capital, Villgro Africa, the Salik Family Trust, and Asime Ventures were among the other investors in the round.
“We are motivated by the potential impact of our service – to be a solution to Africa’s lack of adequate healthcare.”
Most of Africa’s healthcare infrastructure is woefully inadequate, with excruciatingly high doctor-to-patient ratios. Many Africans are unable to enjoy healthcare services or live far away from medical facilities.
“The situation is deteriorating as skilled healthcare workers leave Africa in search of greener pastures. We have a strong goal to democratize healthcare access and use technology to deliver high-quality, first-tier medical care,” said the team. Zuri Health’s CEO and Founder, Ikechukwu Anoke, stated.
Zuri Health plans to use the new funding to develop its digital platform, extend its product offerings, and grow into other markets.
As part of Platform Capital’s investment in this round, Dr. Akintoye Akindele, Chairman of Platform Capital, will be in the advisory board.
The company has grown significantly since its inception. Zuri Health has worked with more than 400,000 SMS users, 300 doctors, 27 lab and diagnostic institutions, and 15 pharmacies in seven countries so far.
“We are pleased to contribute to the success of Zuri Health as it develops an innovative and effective platform that will provide access to healthcare for majority of rural and urban people,” said Saskia van der Mast, Co-CEO of Nairobi-based Dutch private equity firm DOB Equity.
“Zuri Health shows significant potential to scale throughout the continent and democratize access to healthcare,” says Zachariah George, Managing Partner of Launch Africa. We are confident in Anoke and Isiaho’s ability to lead the way in Africa’s HealthTech sector.”
“Founders Factory Africa is thrilled to be a part of funding the Zuri Health Team’s ingenious aim of addressing major gaps in Africa’s healthcare systems,” stated Bongani Sithole, Managing Director of Founders Factory Africa.
According to the Kenya Medical Practitioners & Dentists Council, Kenya has a projected 10,500 licensed physicians.
Each Kenyan doctor would have to serve around 5,300 individuals per year to fulfil the country’s healthcare needs.
Patients also stream into national-level health facilities in urban regions due to a shortage of staff at relatively low facilities in more rural parts of the country.
This situation results in longer patient wait times and tremendous strain to meet even the most fundamental healthcare needs, let alone complex cases.
Techbuild’s Take
Zuri Health connects consumers in the mass market with affordable, efficient, and high-quality medical services via SMS, WhatsApp, and a dedicated app.
In January 2021, the group launched operations in Kenya, and has since grown to Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, and Tanzania.
Ikechukwu After experiencing personal health issues that were remedied through telemedicine, Arthur Anoke and Daisy Isiaho launched Zuri Health.
They saw this as an opportunity to develop a low-cost, tailored, and rapid user experience for mobile healthcare clients.
Zuri Health has partnered with telecommunications firms including Safaricom, MTN, and Telkom (Kenya) to bring together health care organizations like medical labs, pharmacies, and hospitals.
Zuri Health has been able to bring medical services closer to people’s homes as a result of this – doctors are now just a few clicks or messages away.
Don’t miss important articles during the week. Subscribe to techbuild.africa weekly digest for updates.
