myMedik-online doctors for Africa
About Solution
1The Challenge our innovation solves
1. Shortage and poor distribution of health workers in the country.
-Uganda
Doctor to patient ratio is 1:8300 in urban
areas (population under 5million) and 1:22000 in rural areas (affects population
over 30 million).70% of doctors are in urban areas
-Kenya
Doctor to patient ratio is 1:16,000. Kenya
has 1400 doctors who haven’t been absorbed into the workforce.
-Tanzania
Doctor to patient ratio 1:20,000
WHO recommend 1:1000 (part of SDG-Health
workforce 2030 strategy).
Africa has 24% of world’s disease burden
but only 2% of the global supply of physicians. More than 2.4 million health
care workers needed in Africa. Its estimated 23,407 South African doctors are
in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK and USA.10, 000 South African nurses in
UK alone.
There’s a global shortage of 4.3 million
health professionals worldwide.
At least half the world’s population can’t
obtain essential health services according to new report World Bank and WHO.
For almost 100 million these expenses are high enough to push them into extreme
poverty.
Access is the greatest challenge to health
care delivery in Africa.
Impact of problem
-lower quality care
-time constraints on doctor-patient interactions
-Increased workload for healthcare practitioners.
-Overworked and stressed practitioners
1.
Underpayment of health workers in Africa
2.
Unemployment of health workers in Africa due to
governments being unable to afford their services, inadequate health center
facilities to distribute available health workers
-Unnecessarily prolonged wait time before consultations
-Higher prices for consultations
3. Doctor/specialist consultation fees (In Uganda general practitioner -$3-$9, specialist-$18-$30, In Kenya general practitioner -$18, specialist $36)
www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1460299/uganda-risks-losing-skilled-health-workers.
www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000210654/queries-over-fee-limits-for-private-hospitals
www.afro.who.int/news/what-needs-be-done-solve-shortage-health-workers-african-region
www.novartis.com/news/africa-struggles-fill-its-health-worker-shortage
www.news-medical.net/amp/health/Physician-Shortage.aspx
How our innovation addresses challenge
1.On innovation is a web based platform and USSD
system that enables patients to consult with doctors online from home/office
/anywhere at a fraction of usual consultation costs. From the platform doctors
and specialist can register (there licenses, information will be verified and a
profile created), patients will be able to browse the platform for doctors
based on location/disease/experience/cost/number of online consultations made
and then reach out to the doctor there choice to schedule an online
consultation, the customer will pay a fee $0.8-$5 (depending on doctor/specialist
selected), then consult with the patient. After the consultation the patient
may review/give feedback about consultation, this in turn will affect which
doctors appear first in search and patient can also recommend the doctor to
friends/family. The fee paid will be split between the platform and doctor for
example 30% and 70% respectively (actual percentages will be discussed). For
those without smart phones, a USSD code e.g *135# prompts will direct patient
to payment system, then customer service will immediately redirect to doctor/specialist
available for consultation.
2. 2 Our innovation is going to give access to each
and every mobile phone user in Africa access to a pool of licensed health
workers world over for cheaper Consultation fees (cheaper by up to 50%),
training and health knowledge. For smart phone users /internet connected users
web platforms will provide messaging interaction to qualified doctors from
home/office/anywhere at a fraction of the current Consultation fees on the
market.
And those without smart phones will use
USSD to pay and consult with doctors. It will be only available tech option for
this issue in Africa.
In one statement, our innovation will
provide millions of Africans cheaper and faster access to licensed health
workers.
-Uganda 25 million people own mobile phones,
6.4 million people own smart phones
-nearly 200 million smartphone users in
Africa
-over half a billion mobile subscribers in Africa by 2020,
citations and references below
www.africanews/amp/2017/07/25/over-half-a-billion-mobile-subscribers-in-africa-by-2020-hi-tech/
www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/taking-challenges-health-care-africa
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