Cameroonian health startup Waspito secures a significant $2.5 million seed extension from DP World, along with key investors like Newtown Partners, Saviu Ventures, AAIC Investment, Axian Ventures, and CFAO’s Health54.
This substantial funding is aimed at expanding Waspito's presence across the Francophone region and empowering its growth trajectory.
Revolutionizing Telemedicine in Africa
Waspito, founded by Jean Lobe Lobe in early 2020, emerged just as the global health crisis surfaced. The startup endeavors to democratize healthcare access.
Unlike conventional platforms necessitating pre-registration and appointment scheduling, Waspito offers instant video consultations with verified doctors, likening itself to a healthcare-focused social network.
Lobe underscores the urgency of immediate access to medical assistance, shaping Waspito's strategy around real-time connections. The platform allows users to instantly connect with available doctors for consultations.
Moreover, it orchestrates sample collection from homes and the seamless delivery of medications.
Creating a Comprehensive Healthcare Ecosystem
The startup operates as a bridge between patients and various stakeholders in the healthcare domain. By forging partnerships with local hospitals, Waspito ensures continuity of care post-consultation, eliminating the need for additional registration or payment.
Users access a diverse range of healthcare services, including tailored advice from anonymous disease support groups.
Patients can conveniently make payments through diverse channels, including insurance, incentivizing doctors to remain available online for additional earnings. Waspito's vision revolves around ensuring constant online doctor availability, especially in regions where the data reflects a scarcity of healthcare professionals.
Milestone Achievements and Hybrid Expansion Strategy
Having attained recognition as the best health startup in Africa at the VivaTech awards, Waspito boasts an impressive reach of 650,000 users across Cameroon and the Ivory Coast. The platform has onboarded 950 doctors and facilitated over 60,000 consultations.
To address the significant offline population in Africa due to limited internet access and smartphone availability, Waspito is piloting a hybrid model.
Establishing mini-clinics within the Ivory Coast's La Poste Corporation branch network, equipped with nurses for assistance, aims to connect offline patients with virtual doctors and allied healthcare services. The strategy plans to expand this hybrid approach to Cameroon and Senegal by the end of the first quarter next year.
Waspito's innovative approach, combining virtual consultations with offline mini-clinics, underscores its commitment to reach underserved populations, ensuring healthcare inclusivity for all.
As the digital economy burgeons in Africa, Waspito's efforts to blend online accessibility with offline outreach herald a promising paradigm shift in healthcare accessibility.
