HEALTH TECH
Abasi Ene-Obong and Ogochukwu Francis Osifo:
Abasi is a doctor, health researcher and consultant who, together with his business partner, Ogochukwu, founded the health tech solution, 54 Gene. 54 Gene is an initiative created to advance the state of healthcare in Africa through large-scale discovery and translational research, advanced molecular diagnostics, and clinical programs for the benefit of Africans and the global population.
With the world’s analysed genomes coming mostly from anywhere except Africa, the continent remains a valuable source of new genetic information for health and drug discovery research. So, 54gene’s work is relevant as it conducts and leverages this research to ensure Africans are recipients of upcoming drug and medical discoveries.
Since launching in 2019, 54 Gene has been at the forefront of bridging this divide in the global genomics market. 54 Gene caught the attention of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2020 and made $15 million afterwards. In September 2021, the company secured $25 million in Series B funding to bolster its efforts.
Tito Ovia and Dimeji Sofowora:
Tito Ovia and Dimeji Sofowara’s shared goal is to accelerate Africa’s transition to a technology and data-driven healthcare sector. Together they founded Helium Health, an initiative that digitises medical processes across the country using their flagship Electronic Medical Records/Hospital Management Information System (EMR/HMIS) product.
Helium Health EHR is a cloud-based and offline health record and hospital management system. The Helium health platform has been adopted by over 5,000 doctors, and it houses data from 500,000 patients across West Africa. In 2019, they were both listed in the Forbes 30 under 30 list.
Charles Immanuel Akhimien:
Charles Immanuel Akhimien had an epiphany to create a tech-driven health initiative during his residency program in medical school after he witnessed just how frequently women and children fall victim to certain illnesses. Since then, he has made it his life’s work to spread relevant and precise information that could save the lives of these women and children from the clutches of careless misinformation. The result of his newfound resolve is MObicure.
MOBicure is the parent brand of initiatives like My Paddi App and Omomi App. The My Paddi app helps its users find great insights on sex, contraceptives, abuse, health and everything in between. And, the Omomi App provides mothers and expectant mothers with life-saving maternal and child health information.
Vivian Nwakah:
Vivian is the founder of Medsaf, a tech-enabled medication supply chain management solution for hospitals and pharmacies, that was founded in 2017. Vivian moved back to Nigeria in 2013, to help tackle some of the country’s many health challenges. She is described as a serial entrepreneur and strategist that has found huge success in the healthcare, pharmaceutical and energy space.
Spanning her career, she has received recognition from numerous award bodies including Forbes, the British Royal Family, Women in Africa, Seedstars and many more. She has been featured on notable platforms like CNN, Financial Times, and AFP. In the midst of the pandemic in 2020, Medsaf was able to lend about $780,000 of medication purchases in Nigeria.
Nneka Mobisson:
Like other people looking to procure a solution to a nagging problem within an economy, Nneka Mobisson got into the health business after she experienced the tragic loss of her father. Her father’s death highlighted a huge gap in the health sector and she swore to be a part of the solution.
She then decided to found mDOC in 2013, a mobile platform that provides people living with chronic disease with 24/7 access to virtual healthcare providers.
Kolawole Oluwatomison:
Kolawole Oluwatomison is the founder and CEO of Vinsighte, a digital health venture which uses AI to aid the visually impaired read printed books independently and conveniently.
For his work, Kolawole has received a number of recognitions, including the Union Bank Innovation Award for best innovation in Nigeria in 2018, Merck’s top 20 health-tech startups, World Bank’s Honorable Mention Award for 2019 and one of the startups admitted into the 2019/2020 Facebook Accelerator program.
He is also the founder of Viszione, a blue light glasses manufacturer.
Dr. Ahjoku Amadi-Obi:
Dr. Ahjoku Amadi-Obi is an Ireland-based Nigerian doctor who is taking a practical approach to tackling healthcare problems. He is the Founder of Hudiba, a health solution provider that uses emerging technologies to ease the challenges of healthcare delivery in the country.
This veteran doctor also took the initiative to integrate the major Nigerian dialects, Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, into the application for easy interaction with experts on the platform. Within the first two years of its launch, the app gained over a thousand users with 250 registered doctors on the platform.
Olalekan Olude:
Olalekan Olude is popularly known for his contribution to the job market, founding one of the most notable recruitment and job search platforms in the country, Jobberman, alongside Ayodeji Adewunmi and Opeyemi Awoyemi. He recently made his entry into the growing health tech industry with roHealth.
roHealth is an end-to-end healthcare coverage management platform providing selection, pricing and administration of healthcare coverage products via an online marketplace and API.
Ifeanyi Ossai:
Knowing how challenging it is, getting a patient to a doctor in the case of an emergency, Ifeanyi’s solution is to flip the switch and take the doctor to the comfort of the patient’s home.
With this idea, he founded CribMD, a subscription-based telemedicine platform that acquired Charisland Pharmaceuticals Group, following its $2.6 million seed round in May 2021.
Prior to founding this company, Ifeanyi Ossai was the CEO of We Care, a chain of clinics across Sub Saharan Africa. He is a tech entrepreneur, a consultant, an analyst, and an investor.
For Chinedu Okafor, its all about making an impact with words, creating a profound impression on the audience with the intended narrative.
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