Medikea recently attracted a significant investment from the Catalyst Fund to support its mission of providing affordable healthcare services to vulnerable populations in Tanzania. The investment amount is undisclosed.
The intention behind this investment is to address the pressing healthcare needs exacerbated by climate change impacts in Africa. Medikea’s innovative hybrid model combines round-the-clock telemedicine with physical clinics, strategically located in underserved communities, making essential healthcare services more accessible to Tanzanians who face challenges in obtaining quality medical care.
The investment aims to fuel the expansion of Medikea’s reach and impact, particularly in the face of the growing demand for healthcare services due to climate-related health issues.
The decision to invest in Medikea stems from a careful consideration of the impactful role the startup plays in addressing the healthcare challenges intensified by climate change in Africa.
The continent is experiencing a surge in health issues related to malnutrition, infectious diseases, heat-related conditions, and more, with a scarcity of healthcare resources. Medikea’s hybrid model directly tackles this issue by providing an integrated care ecosystem that combines physical clinics with telemedicine support.
This approach not only makes healthcare services more affordable but also ensures that vulnerable communities receive timely and quality care. The fact-based rationale for the investment lies in the urgent need for accessible healthcare services in the face of increasing climate-related health threats and the potential to break the cycle of poverty caused by high healthcare costs.
A Look at Medikea
Medikea, founded just over a year ago, is the brainchild of CEO Dr. Elvis Silayo and COO Dr. Desire Ruhinda, both of whom have extensive medical experience gained from practicing at Tanzania’s national hospital. The startup operates in Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam, with a current focus on providing care to those living on limited budgets.
Medikea’s unique approach combines virtual telemedicine with physical clinics, offering affordable primary care and diagnostics. The startup has already served nearly 10,000 Tanzanians, providing crucial services such as consultations, connections to specialists, and pharmacies at a cost nearly half of alternative options.
Medikea’s innovative use of telemedicine, mobile savings schemes, and preventative approaches positions it as a key player in expanding healthcare access for overlooked groups facing the dual challenges of poverty and climate threats. The founders’ commitment to maximizing impact and their innovative model make Medikea a promising player in the African healthcare landscape.
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer, who has several years of experience working in Africa’s burgeoning tech startup industry. He has closed multi-million dollar deals bordering on venture capital, private equity, intellectual property (trademark, patent or design, etc.), mergers and acquisitions, in countries such as in the Delaware, New York, UK, Singapore, British Virgin Islands, South Africa, Nigeria etc. He’s also a corporate governance and cross-border data privacy and tax expert. As an award-winning writer and researcher, he is passionate about telling the African startup story, and is one of the continent’s pioneers in this regard.