Nigerians Technology-based Health Asset

Healthcare coverage, access, and affordability are major challenges that affect millions of people globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria. The healthcare coverage problem in Nigeria is the inadequate access to healthcare services, which can lead to poor health outcomes, increased morbidity, and mortality rates. Globally, more than half of the world's population lacks access to essential health services, and many people face catastrophic health expenditures that can push them into poverty. In Nigeria, the problem is particularly acute, with a large proportion of the population lacking access to even basic health services. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria has one of the lowest life expectancy rates in the world, with an average life expectancy of just 55 years. 

The lack of access to healthcare services in Nigeria is due to several factors, including inadequate health infrastructure, a shortage of healthcare workers, and a lack of financial resources, high costs of care, and inadequate insurance coverage. The problem is further compounded by the country's large and growing population, as well as ongoing conflict and insecurity in certain regions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria has one of the lowest physician-to-population ratios in the world, with only 0.39 doctors per 1,000 people. In addition, access to healthcare is unevenly distributed across the country, with rural areas and the urban poor having the least access to healthcare services. The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Nigeria has reported that only about 5% of Nigeria's population is covered by health insurance. Furthermore, the country has some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the world, with an estimated 512 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and 74 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. The technology-based solutions proposed in this project can help address some of the factors contributing to the healthcare coverage problem. For example, mHealth and telemedicine can provide access to healthcare services for people in remote or underserved areas. Electronic health records can help healthcare providers keep track of patient information and provide continuous care, while AI and IoT can help improve healthcare decision-making and resource allocation. Blockchain can improve the security and privacy of health data, while also ensuring equitable distribution of healthcare resources.

The Nigerians Technology-based Health Asset's  technology-based solution for healthcare coverage, access, and affordability in Nigeria includes various tools such as mobile health (mHealth) applications, telemedicine, electronic health records (EHR), Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain. These tools work together to provide access to healthcare for underserved communities by allowing patients to communicate with healthcare providers, access health information and education, and receive reminders about appointments and medications. Telemedicine enables remote consultations between patients and health care providers, while EHR systems maintain accurate and up-to-date health records for individuals. IoT devices monitor medical equipment, track medication inventory, and monitor the spread of infectious diseases, while AI is used to analyze data and generate insights that can be used to inform health care policy and decision-making.
Blockchain technology provides a decentralized way to store health data, ensuring the privacy and security of health records, and tracking the distribution of medication and other supplies. This technology-based solution can help to improve healthcare coverage, access, and affordability in Nigeria by increasing local capacity and resilience in health systems, enabling informed interventions and decision-making by governments and local health systems, improving accessibility and quality of health services for underserved groups, and enabling continuity of care, particularly around primary health, complex or chronic diseases, and mental health and well-being.

The target population of our technology-based solution for healthcare coverage, access, and affordability are the underserved communities in Nigeria. These communities lack access to basic healthcare services due to a combination of factors including poverty, insufficient healthcare infrastructure, limited transportation, and inadequate healthcare financing.
The majority of the population in these underserved communities are women and children who are particularly vulnerable to diseases and illnesses. These communities are also home to ethnic and religious minorities, displaced persons, people living with disabilities, and older adults who are often marginalized and have limited access to healthcare services.
Our solution aims to address the needs of this population by introducing technology-based solutions that increase access to healthcare services, improve health outcomes, and reduce the financial burden of seeking healthcare. Through the use of mHealth applications, telemedicine, electronic health records, IoT, AI, and blockchain technology, we hope to bridge the gap in healthcare services and make them more accessible, affordable, and reliable. Our technology-based solution will enable remote consultations between patients and health care providers, allowing people to access care regardless of location. It will also provide real-time access to health data, training for community health workers, track medication prescriptions, and provide continuous care.
By leveraging technology, we aim to empower these underserved communities by providing them with the tools they need to take control of their healthcare needs and improve their quality of life.

Our team is comprised of individuals who are members of the underserved communities we want to serve, and we understand the unique challenges faced by these communities. As the team lead, I am from Zamfara which is one of the underserved communities we want to serve, other team members are from Borno, Kebbi, and Lagos, our team has people from the northern and western part of Nigeria. We have personal experience navigating the challenges of accessing quality healthcare. Our team has also spent significant time engaging with members of these communities to understand their needs and challenges.
We are working closely with community leaders, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders to ensure that our solution is designed in a way that is meaningful and impactful for the communities we want to serve. Our approach is guided by community input, ideas, and agendas, and we are constantly seeking feedback from those we want to serve to ensure that our solution will meet their needs when the project implementation begins.
By being intimately connected to the communities we want to serve, we bring a unique perspective and understanding that enables us to design and that will enable us to deliver a solution that is tailored to their specific needs. We are committed to using our expertise and experience to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those we would be serving.

Our technology-based healthcare solution is a prototype because it has already been designed and is currently being tested and evaluated in underserved Nigerian communities. Our team has identified the problem, researched potential solutions, and developed a prototype that is being implemented and refined based on community feedback and input. This indicates that our solution has moved beyond the conceptual stage and is now in the process of being tested and refined to ensure that it is effective and meets the needs of the target population.

Our solution has not currently started to serve the targeted beneficiaries as we are still at prototype stage.

Our team is faced with various barriers, such as financial, technical, legal, cultural, or market barriers. These barriers could hinder the successful implementation and scaling of our solution. For example, financial barriers include limited access to funding or insufficient financial resources to sustain the solution. Technical barriers include the lack of skilled personnel, insufficient technological infrastructure, or limited access to essential equipment and resources. Legal barriers include regulatory restrictions or limited legal frameworks for the implementation of our solution. Cultural barriers include community resistance or skepticism towards technology-based healthcare solutions. Market barriers include limited demand or competition from existing healthcare providers.

Solve Program can help our team overcome these barriers by connecting us with partners who can provide monetary and non-monetary support. For example, Solve can connect us with investors, donors, or other organizations that can provide funding or resources to support our solution. Solve can also provide technical expertise, mentorship, or guidance to overcome technical, legal, and cultural barriers. Additionally, Solve can connect us with potential partners and stakeholders in the healthcare sector to help us navigate market barriers and increase demand for our solution.
Overall, Solve can provide our team with the necessary support and resources to overcome various barriers and successfully implement and scale our technology-based healthcare solution in underserved Nigerian communities.

Our technology-based healthcare coverage, access, and affordability solution is innovative in several ways. Firstly, it combines several cutting-edge technologies, such as mobile health applications, telemedicine, electronic health records, internet of things, and artificial intelligence, to provide a comprehensive solution that tackles the problem from different angles.

Secondly, our solution puts a strong emphasis on community engagement and co-creation. By involving underserved Nigerian communities in the design and implementation of the solution, we ensure that it is tailored to their specific needs, cultural context, and preferences. This approach increases the chances of the solution being adopted and sustained in the long term.
Thirdly, our solution leverages existing infrastructure and resources to minimize costs and maximize impact. For instance, we partner with local healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and government agencies to leverage their existing networks, facilities, and resources. This approach allows us to reach more people, improve the quality of care, and reduce the burden on the existing healthcare system.
Overall, our solution has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts by demonstrating the feasibility and impact of technology-based healthcare solutions in underserved communities. By showcasing the effectiveness of our solution, we hope to inspire and motivate other stakeholders, such as investors, governments, and NGOs, to invest in similar initiatives. This, in turn, could change the market by creating a more favorable environment for innovation and impact in the healthcare sector.

Our impact goals for the next year are to:

1. Reach 5,000 people in underserved Nigerian communities with our technology-based healthcare coverage, access, and affordability solution.
2. Increase the number of telemedicine consultations by 50% in the communities we serve.
3. Increase the number of electronic health records (EHRs) created by 70% in the communities we serve.
Develop partnerships with at least two local healthcare organizations to expand our reach and impact.

Our impact goals for the next five years are to:

1. Reach 100,000 people in underserved Nigerian communities with our technology-based healthcare coverage, access, and affordability solution.

2. Increase the number of telemedicine consultations by 500% in the communities we serve.
Increase the number of electronic health records (EHRs) created by 700% in the communities we serve.
Establish a sustainable business model that allows us to expand our reach and impact.

To achieve these goals, we plan to:

1. Conduct extensive community outreach to ensure that the needs and priorities of the communities we serve are incorporated into our solution design.
2. Continue to refine and iterate on our solution based on feedback from the communities we serve and the healthcare organizations we partner with.

3. Leverage our partnerships with local healthcare organizations to expand our reach and impact.
4. Collaborate with experts and stakeholders in the healthcare, technology, and social impact sectors to optimize our solution design and implementation.
5. Use data and monitoring and evaluation tools to track our progress toward our impact goals and continuously improve our solution.

As our solution is still in the prototype phase, we are currently focused on developing a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to measure our progress towards our impact goals. However, we plan to measure our progress through a combination of quantitative and qualitative indicators. Some specific indicators we are considering include:

Number of individuals served: We will track the number of individuals who have accessed our technology-based healthcare coverage, access and affordability solution, and aim to increase this number over time.

Health outcomes: We plan to measure the impact of our solution on the health outcomes of the communities we are serving. For example, we may track improvements in maternal and child health, reductions in the prevalence of specific diseases, and increases in access to essential health services.

User satisfaction: We will collect feedback from users to assess their satisfaction with our solution and identify areas for improvement.

Cost savings: We will explore whether our solution is leading to cost savings for both individuals and the healthcare system as a whole.

Partnerships and collaborations: We will track our progress in building partnerships with local and global organizations to strengthen our solution and expand its reach.

We will also continue to refine and adjust our indicators as we learn more about the effectiveness of our solution and the needs of the communities we are serving.

Our theory of change for our technology-based healthcare coverage, access, and affordability solution is as follows:

Activities:

1. Develop and deploy a user-friendly mobile app that connects individuals to affordable healthcare providers.
2. Partner with local healthcare providers to offer discounted services to app users.
3. Conduct community outreach and education programs to increase awareness and usage of the app.

Outputs:

1. Increased access to healthcare services for low-income individuals.
2. Increased usage of the mobile app among the target population.
3. Increased revenue for participating healthcare providers.

Outcomes:

1. Improved health outcomes for individuals who would otherwise lack access to healthcare services.
2. Reduced healthcare disparities among low-income populations.
3. Increased financial stability and sustainability for participating healthcare providers.
4. We expect our solution to have an impact on the problem of healthcare coverage, access, and affordability by addressing the barriers of cost and convenience. 

By providing a user-friendly mobile app that connects individuals to affordable healthcare providers, we aim to increase access to healthcare services for low-income individuals who would otherwise face financial barriers. Additionally, by partnering with local healthcare providers to offer discounted services to app users, we aim to create a sustainable model that benefits both the providers and the patients. Finally, by conducting community outreach and education programs, we aim to increase awareness and usage of the app, thereby increasing access to healthcare services for the target population. Overall, we believe our solution can contribute to improved health outcomes, reduced healthcare disparities, and increased financial stability and sustainability for participating healthcare providers.

Our technology-based healthcare coverage, access and affordability solution utilizes a combination of mobile applications and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to provide personalized health plans and access to affordable healthcare services. The core technology that powers our solution includes a user-friendly mobile app for patients and an AI-powered health assessment system that can generate customized health plans based on individual needs and medical history. Our platform also integrates with local healthcare providers to ensure that patients have access to affordable and quality care. By leveraging mobile technology and AI, we are able to improve healthcare access and affordability, and empower individuals to take control of their health and well-being.

As the technology-based healthcare coverage, access and affordability solution team in Nigerian underserved communities, we understand the importance of incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusivity into our work. We believe that diversity brings fresh perspectives, creativity, and innovation to our team, and it is essential to achieving our mission of providing affordable healthcare to underserved communities in Nigeria. Our team recognizes that we have a long way to go in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Currently, our leadership team is predominantly male and Nigerian, which is reflective of the demographics of the community we serve. However, we are committed to improving diversity in our team, including increasing the representation of women and underrepresented groups. To achieve our goals of becoming more diverse, equitable, and inclusive, we have implemented several actions. Firstly, we have adopted inclusive hiring practices that promote diversity, such as actively seeking out candidates from underrepresented groups and using blind hiring techniques to remove unconscious bias in the selection process.

Additionally, we have created a safe and inclusive workplace where team members feel comfortable expressing themselves, sharing their perspectives, and contributing to the decision-making process. We encourage open communication, active listening, and respect for diverse opinions.
Furthermore, we have established partnerships with local organizations that support underserved communities and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. These partnerships allow us to learn from their experiences and incorporate their perspectives into our work. We will provide a translation on our mobile app to Nigerian local dialects to ensure that uneducated or the aged can operate our mobile app, we will also provide features that support people with disability to easily operate the app and benefit from our services.
Overall, our team recognizes that achieving diversity, equity, and inclusivity is an ongoing process, and we are committed to continually improving our approach. We understand that diversity is not just about meeting quotas, but rather creating a culture of respect and inclusivity that benefits everyone.

Our business model for technology-based healthcare coverage, access and affordability solution in Nigerian underserved communities is based on a hybrid approach, combining both revenue-generating and impact-driven activities.
We will provide affordable health insurance coverage to the underserved communities in Nigeria, through our technology-based solution that allows for easy accessibility and convenience. We will partner with healthcare providers to offer a wide range of healthcare services to our beneficiaries. We will also provide preventive healthcare education and awareness campaigns to our beneficiaries to promote healthy living and reduce healthcare costs.
Our key customers are low-income individuals and families who lack access to affordable healthcare in Nigerian underserved communities. Our beneficiaries are those who need access to quality healthcare services but are unable to afford it due to financial constraints.
We will generate revenue through our health insurance premiums, which will be affordable and tailored to the income levels of our beneficiaries. We will also receive commission payments from healthcare providers for the services provided to our beneficiaries.
To achieve our goal of providing equitable healthcare coverage, we will strive to have a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve. We will prioritize hiring from within the communities we serve and provide training and development opportunities for our staff. We will also work with local community leaders and organizations to ensure our services are culturally appropriate and responsive to the needs of our beneficiaries.
Overall, our business model is designed to provide value to our beneficiaries by offering affordable and accessible healthcare coverage, while also generating revenue to sustain our operations and expand our impact to more underserved communities in Nigeria.

Our plan for becoming financially sustainable with our technology-based healthcare coverage, access, and affordability solution in Nigerian underserved communities involves a combination of revenue streams.

Firstly, we plan to partner with government agencies and NGOs to secure grants and other funding opportunities. We will also seek to establish service contracts with government agencies and private healthcare providers to offer our technology-based healthcare coverage, access, and affordability solution to their patients.
Additionally, we will offer subscription-based services to individual users, including affordable healthcare insurance plans and telemedicine consultations. We will also explore the possibility of generating revenue through data analytics and selling anonymized patient data to academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies for research purposes.
Furthermore, we will leverage our network and partnerships to create fundraising events and campaigns, as well as tap into impact investors interested in supporting healthcare initiatives in underserved communities.
Overall, our revenue streams will be diversified to ensure financial stability and long-term sustainability, while also prioritizing affordability and accessibility for our target population.

As we have not been able to secure a grant yet, our focus has been on exploring potential revenue streams and partnerships that can help us achieve financial sustainability.

Some examples of the progress we have made toward financial sustainability include:
Partnerships with healthcare providers: We have established partnerships with local healthcare providers to offer our technology-based healthcare coverage, access, and affordability solutions to their patients. These partnerships generate revenue for us through service contracts with the providers.
Sales of our technology-based healthcare coverage, access, and affordability solution: We are exploring the possibility of selling our solution to other organizations, such as non-profits or government agencies, who are working in the healthcare space and can benefit from our technology.
Fundraising through crowdfunding: We have launched crowdfunding to raise awareness about our technology-based healthcare coverage, access, and affordability solution and generate support from individuals who are interested in contributing to our cause.
Revenue sharing with community health workers: To incentivize community health workers to use and promote our solution, we have implemented a revenue-sharing model where a percentage of revenue generated through their referrals is paid to them.
While we have not yet achieved full financial sustainability, we are making progress toward that goal and are constantly exploring new revenue streams and partnerships that can help us get there.