It is without a doubt that the Coronavirus has hampered many businesses, but like they say, “every problem contains in it the seeds of a solution.” From all across the world, solutions have been created to mitigate the effects of the virus, and here in Botswana, the lockdown period presented a big problem to those seeking medical help as we were confined to our homes.
Prior to the Coronavirus, our health facilities were usually very congested, which in turn became a breeding ground for the virus to thrive. Additionally, patients usually incur heavy travel costs just to access specialist doctors as they are concentrated in the capital city. Moreover, our health facilities have inadequate medical record-keeping systems. All these problems helped birth Doctors E-Consult, and we are helping to change the face of health in Botswana. We are the Ultimate Game Changers!
Doctors E-Consult is an online platform that brings together doctors, pharmacies, laboratories, and patients under one roof! Think of it as having your doctor in your pocket everywhere you go—convenience at your fingertips. Available on a mobile phone or electronic device, the platform houses a wide variety of doctors ranging from General Practitioners to Gynaecologists and everything in between.
Patients can book an appointment with their preferred doctor and then proceed to consult either via live video chat or live messenger chat. After consultation, the doctor can send a prescription to the patient, who will then upload it to our pharmacy database, which has an array of pharmacies. They can then order their medication online and have it delivered anywhere they are. Additionally, we have laboratories that send medical test results directly to the patient.
Doctors E-Consult also has an Electronic Medical Record-keeping system aligned with world health standards like the International Classification of Diseases (ICD10), as well as prospects of linkages to the DHIS2, which is commonly used in Africa. We also have an emergency tab with doctors and pharmacies on call 24/7, ready to assist patients. Doctors can also write articles on different medical topics and inform patients about diseases, precautionary measures, and much more through the Health Tips tab—think of it as Google, but specifically for medical topics.
It’s true what they say, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Made up of six young innovators who are passionate about entrepreneurship and diligent in their respective fields, we have a lawyer, software developer, financial expert, multimedia expert, international business expert, and a medical laboratory scientist. We have been breaking barriers since inception. Through persistence and endurance, we led the government to tap into Digital Health.
We are recipients of the Botswana Innovation Fund 3rd Call for Proposals, the national winners of the 2020 Southern Africa Innovation Support (SAIS) Boost Up competition, and overall, one of the best start-ups in Southern Africa. We have international recognition and interviews from BBC’s Focus on Africa program, eNCA’s #Africa program, the Dire online health magazine from Italy, and online articles from Zambia, Ghana, and South Africa.
Having SDG3 as our focal point, we are ready to take not only Botswana but the whole continent closer to getting healthcare access to everyone, anywhere! Convenience Amplified!
