This archive report was first published on 15 January 2020.
January 15, 2020 - IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, has called on health tech innovators from around the world to bring their solutions to the East African market to meet the needs of patients and healthcare providers in the region.
With a focus on addressing shortages of skilled doctors and nurses, limited health infrastructure, and high cost of care, IFC aims to use new technologies and innovative business practices to tackle some of the most pressing healthcare challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.
‘We are mobilizing global tech for good by bringing healthcare innovations that transform lives to the markets with greatest need,’ said William Sonneborn, Senior Director of IFC’s Disruptive Technologies and Funds. ‘Bringing together tech innovators with healthcare providers improves access, affordability, quality, and efficiency for underserved populations’.
The TechEmerge Health program will match innovators with more than 20 leading private healthcare systems in Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia. The program is looking for new technologies related to patient engagement, clinical records, and data analytics, among others.
Applications can be submitted at www.techemerge.org/health through February 25, 2020. IFC will provide support to health tech innovators during the market-entry and tech transfer process, mitigating financial and operational risks associated with market entry and reducing adoption risks for local healthcare providers.
The TechEmerge Health program is part of IFC’s approach to support entrepreneurship and innovation in emerging markets and leverage the private sector to increase and improve access to quality health services. The program has already been implemented successfully in India, where innovators were matched with leading healthcare providers to implement pilot projects reaching more than 18,000 patients.
