Healthdart is making healthcare more inexpensive and accessible in South Africa.
There is perhaps no other industry that contributes as much to the growth of society as healthcare, aside from education. Individuals who are unhealthy are unable to start enterprises, push for good government, or invent life-changing breakthroughs. As a result, it is no wonder that some of the world’s poorest countries have the poorest healthcare.
Morocco was the highest-ranked African country in the World Health Organization’s health system rankings before it was suspended in 2000. Tunisia, the continent’s next largest country, was ranked 52nd. In the 21 years since not much has changed. According to research by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), healthcare in Africa is the worst in the world, with 50% of healthcare spending coming from personal funds.
In May 2020, a few weeks after the forced lockdowns in South Africa, Njabulo Skhosana, CEO of Healthdart, quit his job as the Chief of Staff to the CEO of Discovery Health to build his own company – Healthdart, a company aimed at providing primary health care services.
Healthdart solution employs an app to create a platform for users to order pharmaceuticals and have them delivered for less than the cost of the lowest two-way bus ride in South African townships (R30 or $1.99). Customers can pay with an electronic money transfer before receiving the medications or with a card or cash at the point of exchange.
One might wonder what is so unique about allowing patients to order and having their medications delivered to them wherever they want. Consider this scenario: You have a cold and have received a prescription from your doctor. However, there are no pharmacies in your immediate vicinity, therefore, you must go to the nearest drugstore to collect the medication.
This is where Healthdart comes into. The company not only delivers drugs to patients, but it also facilitates online and physical consultations with doctors and patients. As a result, the startup can provide access to primary healthcare services.
Healthdart proffers its solution using an app and still targets middle-income communities. With a little disposable income, this community is unlikely to have a smartphone, and here is how Healthdart plans on reaching out to them:
“I think if you had asked me this question five years ago, we would not have been able to kick-start this business. As of now, we realize that people can access basic android phones for low prices in the South African market”, the CEO said.
The solution of the new startup is not new, there are startups across Africa that either grant a platform for patients to order drugs or speak with a doctor. Skhosana argued anyway, that Healthdart provides more than just convenience to its users.
“A big part of our value proposition is cutting the total cost of care, and that is quite distinct from what our competitors do. In most cases, the aim is on convenience, which is almost like trying to create an UberEats for medicine. But we see our role as a lot more integral to the person’s way of life and trying to make it as affordable and easy as possible so that people can access the right level of healthcare that they need”.
Since the launch of Healthdart, the company has focused on a few South African towns. It also plans to add more towns and cities to the areas it presently covers before exploring possible expansion options. Although, Healthdart has facilitated over 1,000 medication orders and health consultations across Johannesburg in South Africa.
The startup was formerly housed in the Founders Factory Africa, it has also raised money from BFA Global’s Catalyst Fund as it aims towards building a general store for primary healthcare services in Africa.
Healthdart Provides Affordable and Accessible Healthcare in South Africa
