Founders: Davis Musinguzi, John Mark Bwanika, Hope Achiro, Fiona Nuwamanya and William Lubega
The Africa Health Collaborative, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, will be welcoming the Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) African Impact Challenge’s second cohort 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.
The University of Toronto’s Health Collaborative Internal Communications Working Group caught up with the ventures to learn more about the origins of their companies, what they’ve learned to date, and what is coming up next…
Rocket Health
Extensive patient wait-times and low pharmaceutical stock pose a serious challenge to the increasing cost of health care in Uganda. These challenges inspired Rocket Health’s founding team (Davis Musinguzi, John Mark Bwanika, Hope Achiro, Fiona Nuwamanya and William Lubega) to create a technology that could streamline the patient experience and create a more efficient health care value chain to serve as many populations as possible.
Since 2012, Rocket Health has used their telemedicine business model to bring a digital solution that centralizes different health care solutions into one place. This is done through a 24-hour contact centre that enables patients to consult with doctors remotely, at any time of the day or night, and from anywhere across the country. Costs are kept low by replacing physical consultations with remote consultations, though Rocket Health offers mobile services (e.g. pharmaceutical deliveries, home vaccinations, etc.) for patients with acute conditions.
What is the accomplishment to date that your team is most proud of?
Having set out to achieve the best possible quality of care for customers, Rocket Health has recorded several key milestones on its journey as Uganda’s pioneer and leading telemedicine provider. In 2019, we accomplished a seamless end-to-end integrated service of a clinic, laboratory, and pharmacy that facilitates quality customer experiences and outcomes. In March last year, we closed a $5M Series A fundraising round which has facilitated expansion to a new service point in Kyetume, Gayaza and a move into the wholesale market.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Rocket-Health-1-1320x757.jpg)
If you could give advice to another founder getting started, what would that be?
“You don’t have to see the whole way through, just have the courage to get started, have a clear mission and continuously surround yourself with the right people.”
Looking forward, Rocket Health aims to become the leading world-class digital health company in Africa. They are in the process of developing and launching a Health Wallet that will enable customers to deposit money that can be used to access prepaid health care, so that their services can reach the over 90% population of Ugandans who do not have access to health insurance. Additionally, the Rocket Health team is dedicating significant resources to the wholesale business with a goal of achieving value chain efficiency for retail pharmacies, clinics, laboratories, and other institutions that source medical supplies.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Vector.png)
You can learn more about Rocket Health
More News & Events
Skip scroller content![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Landscape_Health-in-Africa-760x380.png)
Attaining Connected Healthcare through a National Data Platform
About the Speaker (Dr. Job Nyangena): Dr. Job Nyangena is a medical doctor and seasoned digital health professional with a distinguished career spanning over a decade. Combining a strong foundation in medicine with a deep understanding of technology, Dr. Nyangena has been instrumental in shaping the digital health landscape both in Kenya and internationally. With […]
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/A-Case-Study-of-TAAAC-760x380.png)
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.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BetaLife-Health-1-760x524.png)
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.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/REMEDIUS-MOBILE-HEALTH-760x524.png)
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.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Powerstove-Energy-760x524.png)
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.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SnooCODERED-760x524.png)
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.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Telemedan-760x524.png)
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.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BuriCare-Limited-760x524.png)
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.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Health-in-Africa-Flyer-Jun2024.png)
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.
![](https://africahealthcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/A-Lite-Vein-Locator-760x524.png)
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.