The Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) Challenge’s first cohort is getting ready for their upcoming visit to Toronto, where they will continue their implementation phase through activities targeting business development, expanding entrepreneurial networks and facilitating exposure to potential investors.
In the meantime, the HENT Communications team caught up with the ventures from the first HENT Challenge cohort to learn more about the origins of their companies, what they’ve learned to date, and what is coming up next…
DoctorsLive
Pauline Gethi was inspired to start DoctorsLive with the simple mindset that change is possible. Gethi had previously tried to seek support from a mental health professional, only to find that it would take her over one year to finally receive quality care. For Gethi, and the many others facing this barrier to care, this meant being left to face her mental health challenges alone. From this experience, Gethi recognized a gap in quality mental health care in Africa, and DoctorsLive was created to be the source of change that the system desperately needs.
Some of the challenges that DoctorsLive are seeking to solve include long wait times to book therapy sessions, inaccessibility for many patients, and a limited number of mental health practitioners. Awareness of mental health disorders is also lacking in the region which has led to stigma and discrimination, creating additional barriers to accessing mental health care.
DoctorsLive aims to combat these problems through personalized and on-demand digital mental health care that matches individuals to a care plan that is tailored to their unique needs. DoctorsLive offers a range of care services, including mental health assessments, video therapy sessions, live coaching, a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) chatbot and self-care resources. Through these varied models of care, clients of DoctorsLive benefit from diversity, quality and affordability through a single point-of-access.
What is the accomplishment to date that your team is most proud of?
As a team, DoctorsLive is proud to launch their MVP, to continue learning from their customers, and integrate improvements into the app as needed. From March 2022 to December 2022, the app hosted an estimated 165 therapy sessions. Additionally, the venture is proud to be a part of the African Impact Initiative 2022 Incubation program.
If you could give advice to another founder getting started, what would that be?
“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution. Don’t let other people validate your company if you are truly passionate about your idea and you know it is going to change people’s lives.”
In the coming year, DoctorsLive is looking to increase their sales growth rate from 10% to 30% and expand their client base to the African diaspora. As they continue to grow, DoctorsLive plans to launch their B2B platform to help businesses improve the well-being of their employees, as well as create a healthy work environment that can better their employees’ productivity. While working towards this goal, the venture is continuously upgrading the platform to best serve their users and deliver the highest quality of care possible.
You can learn more about DoctorsLive
More News & Events
Skip scroller content
A Model for International Partnerships: A Case Study of TAAAC
The University of Toronto and Addis Ababa University are pleased to invite you to the next episode of the Health in Africa series discussing A Model for International Partnerships.
Venture Spotlight: BetaLife Health
BetaLife Health uses artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize blood supply management across Africa. Their platform uses predictive analytics to optimize blood inventory levels, distribution logistics and donor engagement, thereby improving the timeliness and availability of blood for transfusions.
Venture Spotlight: Remedius Mobile Health
Remedius Mobile Health aims to combat the identified problems by leveraging telemedicine through the Remedius Live platform. They seek to provide fast virtual appointment scheduling with doctors and specialists at affordable rates of about five dollars and provide comprehensive care to chronically ill patients. This is executed through an integral network of facilities that provide physical care to these patients if need arises.
Venture Spotlight: Powerstove Energy
Powerstove designs and manufactures smart smoke-free cookstoves that also self-generate electricity for users to charge their mobile phones and power home appliances using proprietary renewable bio-pellets as fuel. These sustainable, mosquito repellent bio-pellets are produced from post-harvest crops and wood waste.
Venture Spotlight: SnooCODERED
SnooCODERED aims to solve the problem of inadequate healthcare infrastructure (systems, facilities and human resources) in Africa. It is doing this by providing a suite of cost-effective mobile healthcare logistics applications that democratize access to the ambulance or first aid response, facilitate the delivery of medical supplies to diverse populations, and improve contact tracing and epidemiological modelling.
Venture Spotlight: Telemedan
Telemedan creates telemedicine kiosks in underserved communities in order to move toward closing the healthcare accessibility gap. Their kiosks facilitate video conferences between patient and doctor. They are equipped with medical devices for taking vital signs, such as ECG analysis, temperature measurement and blood oxygen saturation. Further, they feature stethoscopes, dermascopes, an HD camera and a scanner for the easy sharing of documents and lab results. With a focus on ease-of-access, Telemedan’s kiosks are user-friendly and accessible to those of varying levels of technology literacy.
Venture Spotlight: BuriCare Limited
BuriCare Limited has launched their Kangacare baby carriers, designed to address the critical need for newborn care, especially in regions lacking adequate neonatal facilities. With only four Neonatal Intensive Care Units available in their country, Kangaroo Mother Care emerged as a cost-effective solution, promoting vital skin-to-skin contact between mother and newborn to regulate body temperature. These locally knitted carriers are equipped with essential sensors capable of monitoring the baby’s temperature, pulse rate, and oxygen saturation. In the event of any abnormalities, an alarm alerts the mother to seek immediate assistance.
Collaborative Biotech Research: The Case of Ashesi’s Open DNA Collection in Africa
The University of Toronto and Ashesi University are pleased to invite you to the next episode of the Health in Africa series discussing Collaborative Biotech Research: The Case of Ashesi’s Open DNA in Africa.
Venture Spotlight: A-Lite Vein Locator
The A-Lite Vein Locator is a medical device that facilitates the non-invasive detection of veins under the skin. Using the A-Lite Vein Locator shortens cannulation time by up to 88.5 seconds and lowers the risk of needle-stick injuries and infections. Further, the use of the A-Lite Vein Locator has been shown to decrease medical waste and unnecessary use of clinic resources.
Venture Spotlight: Vas MedTech
Vas MedTech offers FlexiGyn, a portable, user-guided, and minimally invasive diagnostic camera that can operate in less specialized settings. This innovation is not only cost-effective, but also enhances accessibility. FlexiGyn enables community primary healthcare providers, such as nurses and general practitioners, to perform initial screenings and seamlessly consult with gynecologists for further diagnosis and referrals. FlexiGyn aims to make comprehensive women’s health care more accessible and convenient than ever before, thus addressing a global disparity in women’s health services.