Telemedicine is well-suited for non-urgent medical conditions. It helps avoid long waiting lines and is increasingly becoming a preferred alternative across the continent, especially with the growth of the technological ecosystem.

Medikea is a digital health solution developed by a Tanzanian startup to provide users with access to online consultations through its mobile platform. Founded in 2020 by Desire Ruhinda, Elvis Silayo, and John Manko, the startup is based in Dar es Salaam.

"All of Medikea Doctors are licensed and registered with the Medical Council of Tanganyika (MCT), the organisation responsible for overseeing medical doctors in Tanzania. They have experience in treating a wide range of conditions and can assist with almost anything your regular doctor could handle in a clinic or hospital," the startup explains.

The Medikea app, available on iOS and Android, has been downloaded over 500 times according to Play Store data. Users create an account to access the healthtech services. For online consultations, users schedule an appointment through the platform. The consultation takes place via video call, where users describe their symptoms to the doctors, much like in a traditional consultation.

If the doctor has enough information to make a diagnosis, they prescribe the appropriate treatment. If not, the patient is referred to a clinic for further examination. In addition to online consultations, Medikea offers medication delivery and at-home lab tests. However, these two services are currently only available in the city of Dar es Salaam.

Adoni Conrad Quenum