Heathtracka

Africa has an access problem, despite bearing the highest disease burden in the world, less than half of the population has access to basic, affordable healthcare. There is an unequal distribution of healthcare services, compared to the 1:600 doctor-to-patient ratio recommended by WHO, Africa has a 1:6,000 doctor-to-patient ratio with a high concentration of healthcare providers in urban areas while people living in underdeveloped areas/rural areas have few to none.

The specific problem that Healthtracka is addressing is the lack of access to affordable, high-quality diagnostic testing for rare diseases in Africa. This problem affects millions of people across the continent, particularly those living in rural or remote areas where access to medical facilities is limited. Diagnostic testing for rare diseases is often expensive and time-consuming, requiring patients to travel long distances and undergo multiple tests before receiving a diagnosis. This can delay treatment and lead to a worsening of symptoms, resulting in a reduced quality of life for patients and their families.

The scale of the problem is significant, with millions of people across Africa affected by rare diseases. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 400 million people worldwide suffer from rare diseases, with 80% of these diseases having a genetic component. In Africa, the lack of access to affordable and high-quality diagnostic testing compounds the problem, leading to a significant burden on patients and their families.

The lack of access to affordable and high-quality diagnostic testing is the primary factor contributing to the problem in Africa. Other factors include the lack of trained medical personnel, inadequate health infrastructure, and the high cost of medical treatment. Healthtracka's solution to this problem addresses the lack of access to affordable and high-quality diagnostic testing and aggregate medical professionals in the community coupled with its route optimization technology for in-home sample collection and lab drop-off.

Healthtracka is a healthcare technology company that decentralizes medical diagnostics in Africa, starting with Nigeria. The company has developed a digital platform called Healthtracka Remote Pathology Testing, which allows patients and their medical providers to order specialty lab tests at home, and get their medical diagnostics done without leaving their homes. This platform reduces the time, cost, and resources required for patients and caregivers in the rare disease patient diagnostic journey.

Healthtracka's at-home testing services are designed to be affordable and accessible to patients, especially those with rare diseases who may have to travel long distances to access medical care. The platform provides easy-to-use, convenient, and reliable services, with results delivered within 48 hours and complimentary doctor consultations to guide customers.

The platform offers over 100 tests, and patients and doctors can easily select and pay for their preferred test or a package for more comprehensive scans. A phlebotomist, who is a highly trained sample collector, is mapped to the closest patient to collect the blood samples at the user's location, ensuring a seamless and comfortable experience. The collected samples are then analyzed by Healthtracka's partner pathology laboratories, and the results are delivered privately within 48 hours, with a complimentary doctor consultation to guide customers on the next steps.

These medical diagnostics test can be ordered through our web app, WhatsApp chats, voice call

By leveraging technology, a network of community medical sample collectors, and partner laboratories across the nation, Healthtracka has developed a service that is efficient and accessible. The platform uses technology to provide quick and efficient service delivery, easing the slow and stress-ridden reputation surrounding the African healthcare space.

Healthtracka's services aim to create strong collaboration and connectivity among stakeholders and drive early detection of diseases through its efficient model of at-home specialty lab order.

Our solution serves medical practitioners and their patients with symptoms that require medical diagnoses, usually, these people are living in underserved communities where they have limited access to specialty labs or high-end diagnostics solutions.

Our solution allows us to bring the specialty labs close to the medical practitioners and their patients through our network of field phlebotomists, without delays, wait time, travel or any of the issues around access to early detection of diseases.

Our team has extensive experience working in Africa for over a decade, having built expertise in healthcare marketing, social impact, software engineering, product design, experience mapping, healthcare interoperability, and much more. We have a deep understanding of the healthcare market and how to reach people in both urban and underserved communities in Africa.

Healthtracka’s team is made up of highly skilled and passionate medical and technology professionals who are trained at delivering healthcare solutions. The team comprises experts in various fields, including software engineering, medicine, lab science, phlebotomy, business and finance. 

The team's combined expertise and commitment in delivering high-quality healthcare solutions make us the best team to execute healthcare solutions in Africa

Healthtracka Technologies Limited is applying for the MIT Solve Horizon Prize 2023, which aims to improve the rare disease patient diagnostic journey by reducing the time, cost, resources, and duplicative travel and testing for patients and caregivers. Healthtracka's digital lab testing solution can significantly contribute to achieving this goal. The company's primary mission is to make health testing accessible and affordable to Africans.

Healthtracka's digital lab testing solution provides a convenient and accessible solution for patients who want to access health services without leaving their homes, a trend growing in popularity in Nigeria and other African countries. However, Healthtracka faces several barriers that need to be addressed to scale up its operations and achieve its mission. These barriers include financial, technical, legal, cultural, and market barriers. Healthtracka hopes that MIT Solve can help the company overcome these barriers and advance its solution through monetary and non-monetary support.

Financial Barriers - Healthtracka needs financial support to scale up its operations, develop new products and services, and expand its reach to new locations. MIT Solve can provide Healthtracka with the necessary financial resources to achieve these goals, allowing the company to invest in advanced technologies, develop its infrastructure, and hire more qualified staff to increase the quality and efficiency of its services.

Technical Barriers - Healthtracka needs technical support to upgrade its technology infrastructure to include USSD and Chatbots to increase access to undeserved communities. MIT Solve can help Healthtracka to access technical expertise and resources globally that can help the company to develop and implement new technologies that can improve the efficiency of its operations, reduce downtime, and increase the quality of its services.

Cultural Barriers - Healthtracka needs to address cultural barriers that may prevent people from accessing health services as we expand into new markets. MIT Solve can help Healthtracka to develop culturally sensitive services that cater to the unique needs of different communities and contexts. This can help the company to reach more people and make its services more accessible and inclusive.

Market Barriers - MIT Solve can help Healthtracka to identify new market opportunities and develop strategies partnerships with other organizations and stakeholders in the healthcare industry globally, which can help the company to expand its reach and increase its impact.

Ifeoluwa's dedication and innovative approach to decentralizing healthcare in Africa have been instrumental in addressing critical health challenges on the continent.

Firstly, Ifeoluwa's focus on non-communicable diseases, women's health, and sexual and reproductive health demonstrates her commitment to addressing pressing healthcare needs that are often overlooked. By leveraging innovation and technology, Healthtracka provides comprehensive solutions ranging from remote sample collection for lab testing to virtual consultations, medication delivery, and vaccinations. These services play a crucial role in improving access to healthcare and empowering individuals to take control of their health.

Furthermore, Ifeoluwa's led the team to launch the first-of-its-kind- at-home HPV self-sampling kit for cervical cancer screening is a prime example of her dedication to leveraging technology to promote early detection and prevention. By enabling women to screen for cervical cancer from the comfort of their homes, Ifeoluwa is removing barriers to access and potentially saving countless lives.

Ifeoluwa's work with Healthtracka has already had a tangible impact, with over 1,000 women screened for cervical cancer using their self-sampling kit including rural female farmers and female drivers. Her passion and commitment to improving health outcomes showcase her ability to translate innovative ideas into practical solutions that directly benefit individuals and communities.

Our solution is innovative and sustainable because it addresses the challenges faced by patients in Nigeria needing accurate diagnosis, especially to reduce the time, cost, resources, and duplicative travel and testing for patients and caregivers. Healthtracka's solution is unique in that it offers remote pathology testing which is important to detect rare diseases and deliver digital results, which reduces the need for patients to travel to healthcare facilities for testing, saving time and money.

Healthtracka's solution is highly innovative because it leverages digital technology to provide a seamless and convenient experience for patients and their caregivers/doctors. By allowing patients to book medical tests from the comfort of their homes, Healthtracka eliminates many of the barriers that prevent individuals from seeking medical care, especially those in underserved communities. The digital results also make it easy for patients to access and share their medical information with their healthcare providers, promoting better communication and coordination of care.

Healthtracka's solution is sustainable because it is designed to be scalable and adaptable to different patient needs. The company has partnered with private pathology laboratories and works through a network of community phlebotomists/nurses/CHEWs to provide at-home lab testing services. This network can be expanded to reach more patients and provide a wider range of testing services, including those specific to rare diseases. Healthtracka's solution is also adaptable to new technologies and developments in the healthcare sector, making it future-proof and able to meet the changing needs of patients.

Healthtracka's solution has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the healthcare sector in Nigeria. By providing easy access to medical tests and results, Healthtracka can help to improve health outcomes for patients with rare diseases, including reducing the time to diagnosis and treatment. This can help to reduce the burden on the healthcare system and increase the capacity to provide care to more patients. Additionally, by leveraging digital technology, Healthtracka can help to bridge the gap in healthcare services between urban and rural areas, increasing access to care for underserved communities.

Healthtracka's solution can change the market for rare disease patient diagnosis by making healthcare services more accessible, affordable, and convenient for patients. This can help to increase the demand for at-home healthcare services and promote the adoption of digital health solutions in Nigeria. Healthtracka's solution can also encourage other healthcare providers to adopt similar models, promoting innovation and competition in the healthcare sector.

Our impact goals for the next year and the next five years are to improve the health outcomes of Africans through early detection and treatment of diseases while simplifying health delivery services in Africa. To achieve these goals, we plan to expand our user base and services across Africa, create interoperable solutions for stakeholder adoption, and expand into the personalized healthcare market by building a robust clinician network, utilizing anonymized historical health data, and offering precision medicine solutions.

Our anticipated outcomes include increased market share and revenue growth for Healthtracka, improved access to healthcare services for Africans, improved health outcomes for individuals through personalized healthcare solutions, and increased employment opportunities in the healthcare sector.

To measure its progress toward its impact goals, Healthtracka is using the following indicators:

• The number of tests performed: Healthtracka aims to deliver hundreds of thousands of medical diagnostics tests at home each year, which will help to detect rare diseases early enough to get treated successfully.

• Reduction in diagnostic journey time: Healthtracka aims to reduce the time it takes for patients to receive their test results and get a diagnosis. By providing at-home lab testing and digital results, Healthtracka aims to reduce the time, cost, and resources required for patients to receive a diagnosis.

• Increase in results accuracy: By onboarding only quality specialty lab partners while ensuring that sample collectors maintain the integrity of samples to and fro the pathology labs, Healthtracka aims to provide accurate and reliable test results to its customers.

• Customer satisfaction: Healthtracka aims to ensure that its customers are satisfied with its services. By collecting customer feedback and conducting surveys, Healthtracka can identify areas for improvement and ensure that its customers are receiving high-quality services.

These indicators align with several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. Healthtracka's digital lab testing is designed to make healthcare services more accessible and affordable, which aligns with the UN's goal of ensuring universal access to healthcare services.

Healthtracka's remote pathology solution has the potential to significantly impact the rare disease patient diagnostic journey in Nigeria, reducing the time, cost, resources, and duplicative travel and testing for patients and caregivers. The logical framework for Healthtracka's solution is as follows:

Activities:

1. Develop and implement a remote pathology platform that allows patients to access specialty lab tests from the comfort of their homes.

2. Train and equip a network of medical professionals to collect samples from patients' homes.

3. Partner with specialty pathology laboratories to process and analyze collected samples.

4. Provide patients and their healthcare providers with digital access to test results.

Immediate Outputs:

1. Increased access to medical testing for patients in underserved communities.

2. Reduced travel and wait time for patients and caregivers.

3. Increased convenience and comfort for patients.

4. Improved accuracy and timeliness of test results.

Intermediate Outcomes:

1. Increased early diagnosis of rare diseases.

2. Improved treatment outcomes for rare disease patients.

3. Improved patient satisfaction with healthcare services.

4. Increased awareness and acceptance of digital health solutions among healthcare providers and patients.

Long-Term Outcomes:

1. Improved health outcomes for rare disease patients.

2. Reduced burden on the healthcare system.

3. Increased productivity and economic growth due to improved health.

Evidence to support the strength of these links includes third-party research, findings from a process or impact evaluation, and data from interviews with target populations. For example, a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that early diagnosis of rare diseases can lead to improved outcomes for patients and reduce the burden on the healthcare system. In addition, a pilot study conducted by Healthtracka in a rural community in Nigeria showed that the use of the digital lab testing platform led to a significant reduction in travel and wait time for patients and caregivers, as well as increased patient satisfaction with healthcare services. Furthermore, interviews with healthcare providers and patients have indicated a growing awareness and acceptance of digital health solutions, particularly in underserved communities.

Healthtracka's solution is powered by a web-based application that allows patients and medical practitioners to order diagnostic tests from the comfort of their homes. Also, a mobile app for sample collectors that allows them to accept the orders, track their journey to the patient, and sample drop off at the partner labs for analysis. The core technology that powers the solution includes cloud computing, mobile application development, and integration with existing laboratory information systems. Additionally, the app utilizes secure and encrypted communication protocols to ensure patient data privacy and confidentiality.

24 Full-time Staff

over 100 contractors/freelance contractors

2 years

We are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity in our work. We recognize that these values are essential to achieving our mission of making health testing accessible and affordable to Africans, and we are committed to implementing them in all aspects of our operations.

Our leadership team is diverse, as a female-led organization, we are a balanced gender team, with a mix of backgrounds represented. We believe that having a diverse leadership team is critical to building an inclusive culture and ensuring that we are responsive to the needs of our customers and stakeholders.

We are also working to ensure that our services are accessible and inclusive to all, regardless of their race, language, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. For example, we have developed materials and resources that are culturally sensitive and take into account the unique needs of different communities. We are also committed to providing training and education to our staff on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, to ensure that we are creating an environment that is welcoming and inclusive to all.

We believe that our approach to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity will be an asset in achieving the goal of improving the rare disease patient diagnostic journey. Rare diseases often affect marginalized communities, and we recognize that there are significant disparities in access to healthcare for these communities. By promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity in our work, we can help to reduce these disparities and ensure that all patients have access to high-quality healthcare services.

To achieve this goal, we plan to work closely with patient advocacy groups and other stakeholders to ensure that our services are accessible and inclusive to all. We will also continue to invest in technology and infrastructure to ensure that our services are efficient and effective, reducing the time, cost, and resources required for patients and caregivers. Additionally, we plan to leverage data and analytics to identify areas where we can improve our services and make them more inclusive and equitable.

Healthtracka's business model centers on making medical diagnostics accessible and affordable to Africans. Healthtracka's primary source of revenue is margins on the value of lab tests ordered, sales of self-sampling kits, and commissions on medications and vaccinations delivered through our partner pharmacies. The average pricing for a test is ₦5,000 ($10). 

The company's go-to-market strategy involves partnering with government-certified private pathology laboratories to spearhead diagnostic testing in Nigeria. This asset-light model allows the startup to work through a network of phlebotomists who visit users at home to take their samples and a network of lab partners to process and delivers reliable results for accurate diagnosis.

Healthtracka has gained traction since launching in the three biggest cities in Nigeria, acquiring its first 5000 paying customers within the first  2year of operations. The company has delivered over 15,000 tests at home and processed over 1000 tests monthly, with an average growth rate of 10% MoM  Healthtracka operates in 14 states in Nigeria with plans to expand across Africa.

Healthtracka's business model is sustainable, with plans for the future, including expanding into personalized healthcare and precision medicine, with a combined market size of $42B. The company plans to build a robust clinician network, historical health data, and precision medicine to achieve this. Overall, Healthtracka's business model is designed to make health testing more accessible and affordable, promoting wellness, early diagnosis, and reducing the burden on the healthcare system.

Healthtracka's primary source of revenue is margins on the tests ordered on its platform. 

Our asset-light business model positions us to generate revenue from several sources, including;

• Revenue from margins on specialty lab testing and other services such as medications, in-home nurse care, and vaccinations- enable patients and their caregivers to monitor and maintain their health.  These services are designed to be convenient, affordable, and efficient, and they generate revenue for Healthtracka.

• Raising Grants and Investment Capital: Healthtracka is also open to raising investment capital to support its growth and expansion plans. This may involve raising funds from angel investors, venture capitalists, or impact investment funds.

In the long term, Healthtracka aims to generate enough revenue to cover its expected expenses and achieve financial sustainability. Healthtracka's sustainability plan involves growing its user base and expanding into personalized healthcare and precision medicine, with a combined market size of $42B. Healthtracka plans to build a robust clinician network, anonymized historical health data, and precision medicine to achieve this.

Healthtracka is on the path to achieving financial sustainability and gaining recognition for its promising solution as we generated revenue for the business from day one of launching the solution.

We were honored to be one of the recipients for the Google Black Founders Fund, which provided us with direct mentorship, funding, and access to a global network. 

Furthermore, we raised over $1M million in seed funding from equity investors.

Our solution has also been featured on well-known media outlets such as TechCrunch, Techpoint Africa, Disrupt Africa, Ventureburn, and more, which reinforces our potential to solve a real problem for millions of people in Africa.