Firm banks on an app to connect patients with doctors
A local firm has unleashed a mobile phone application TeleAfya, that seeks to bridge the gap between patients and doctors in healthcare provision.
The new app by TeleAfya seeks to provide on-demand healthcare services by connecting patients to doctors for medical assistance.
App founder Vincent Chepkwony says patients can, through text, video calling or messaging, use smartphones to access medical care givers remotely.
“Now more than ever, we need to bridge the gap between healthcare access and delivery by connecting local medical professionals in each county with local patients especially during this Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
“Through the TeleAfya App, we hope to build a network of medical care givers and patients to solve the health care crisis in Kenya."
Medical professionals must register on the mobile app to offer their services in their respective counties and patients with smartphones can request for the services by logging onto the app.
The firm is partnering with retailers, shops, schools, pharmacies and churches to act as TeleAfya Dispatch Centers to ensure patients without smartphones are not left out of the services.
The app and dispatch centers intend, in the long term, to solve the congestion problem in available hospitals across the country and localize routine care through certified medical professionals.
“TeleAfya is going to foster easy communication with people in mashinani. Just like M-Pesa, TeleAfya will be that account that has everything about your health. As long as you have your phone, your health is in your hands, literally,” said TeleAfya co-founder and marketing director Dorothy Ogega. 
The duo said that their mission is to make healthcare accessible especially to disadvantaged communities.
A patient books a medic on the platform and depending on their workload, a request is accepted or rejected and the patient is able to monitor and is able to request for an alternative health worker.
Once a healthcare provider accepts a patient’s request, TeleAfya hands over control to them enabling the caregiver to consultant with the patient through text, call or video.
The founders added that the app will also use the Pandemic Integrated System for tracking Covid-19 Suspects and Contacts Tracing System to ensure public confidence and safety.
TeleAfya is available on Google Play Store for Android users while iPhone compatibility and the Pandemic Integrated Tracing and Testing System are currently in the testing phase before being rolled out.
