Digitising medicine distribution to extend medical services to Zambia's most secluded healthcare facilities through Duniya Healthcare's efforts.
In the heart of Zambia, a tech-driven solution is transforming the landscape of healthcare access in rural areas. Duniya Healthcare, a pioneering startup, is making waves by improving medicine distribution, reaching over 750,000 patients in just six months [1].
Founded by Mwansa Chalo, a visionary who left a family business to run a cleaning services company for seven years before embarking on this mission, Duniya Healthcare was born out of a response to the pressing issue of medication shortages in Africa [2].
The startup's innovative model operates on a web-based platform, connecting urban pharmacies with rural health centres. These centres submit orders, which Duniya aggregates into bulk requests, and wholesalers bid to fulfill these orders [3]. This streamlined process ensures that essential medicines can reach patients efficiently, bypassing the challenges of poor infrastructure, long travel distances, and limited pharmacy availability [1].
Duniya's approach has yielded tangible benefits. Participating facilities have reported nearly 30% reductions in medicine costs and rare stockouts [4]. The startup's efforts have been recognised, with Duniya being named one of the Top 3 Finalists in the Harvard HealthLab Accelerator (H2A) Africa programme and winning the World Summit Award [5].
The importance of Duniya's work is underscored by tragic incidents like the death of a 17-year-old named Chipego, who died in a Catholic-run clinic in Monze District, Zambia, due to a lack of anti-malaria drugs [6].
As the pharmaceutical market in Zambia is projected to reach $189.8 million by 2025, Duniya Healthcare is poised for growth. The startup is currently raising $1 million in pre-seed funding, with backing already secured from Digital Africa and Tamboti Circle [7]. By the end of the year, Duniya aims to supply more than 1,000 facilities nationwide [8].
Looking ahead, Chalo plans to expand Duniya Healthcare's reach beyond Zambia's borders, targeting Kenya and Uganda over the next three years, with a goal of scaling up to 10,000 facilities [9]. To further enhance its platform, Duniya plans to integrate artificial intelligence and blockchain to improve pharmaceutical traceability [10].
In a significant move, Duniya has signed a five-year, $10 million contract with the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Africa Health and Economic Transformation Institute [11]. This partnership aims to digitize procurement and streamline medicine distribution to 75 Catholic mission hospitals across rural Zambia.
In a continent where 90% of medicines are imported, making costs higher and supply chains fragile, Duniya Healthcare's tech-driven solution promises to bring much-needed change to rural healthcare access in Africa.
References:
- https://www.techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/duniya-healthcare-raises-1-million-to-improve-medicine-distribution-in-rural-africa/
- https://www.fastcompany.com/90645394/this-zambian-startup-is-using-tech-to-improve-healthcare-in-rural-africa
- https://www.techtimes.com/articles/280686/20210210/zambian-startup-duniya-healthcare-improves-medicine-distribution-in-rural-africa.htm
- https://www.techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/duniya-healthcare-raises-1-million-to-improve-medicine-distribution-in-rural-africa/
- https://www.fastcompany.com/90645394/this-zambian-startup-is-using-tech-to-improve-healthcare-in-rural-africa
- https://www.techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/duniya-healthcare-raises-1-million-to-improve-medicine-distribution-in-rural-africa/
- https://www.techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/duniya-healthcare-raises-1-million-to-improve-medicine-distribution-in-rural-africa/
- https://www.techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/duniya-healthcare-raises-1-million-to-improve-medicine-distribution-in-rural-africa/
- https://www.fastcompany.com/90645394/this-zambian-startup-is-using-tech-to-improve-healthcare-in-rural-africa
- https://www.techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/duniya-healthcare-raises-1-million-to-improve-medicine-distribution-in-rural-africa/
- https://www.techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/duniya-healthcare-raises-1-million-to-improve-medicine-distribution-in-rural-africa/
- Mwansa Chalo, the founder of Duniya Healthcare, aims to extend the tech-driven solution's reach beyond Zambia, targeting Kenya and Uganda over the next three years, with a goal of scaling up to 10,000 facilities.
- Recognizing its technological innovation, Duniya Healthcare was named one of the Top 3 Finalists in the Harvard HealthLab Accelerator (H2A) Africa programme and won the World Summit Award.
- To further enhance its platform, Duniya plans to integrate artificial intelligence and blockchain to improve pharmaceutical traceability.
- With digital Africa and Tamboti Circle providing backing, Duniya Healthcare is currently raising $1 million in pre-seed funding, and by the end of the year, they aim to supply more than 1,000 facilities nationwide.
