In Kenya, a HealthTech company leveraged the decentralized technology and created an outstanding automated Universal Patient Portal. Through blockchain technology, the company has revolutionized patient care not only in Kenya and Africa but also across the globe
Afya Rekod, is a digital health data company whose focus is to aid medical professionals and their patients to store health data and medical history. The platform allows health facilities to capture, and store information and have real-time access to the patient’s health data records.
It is a patient-driven platform driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain to help patients and especially health providers access real-time mobility of the health data records.
History of Afya Rekod
Afya Rekod was founded in Kenya in 2019. The platform has expanded to Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon and Zambia. The company was founded as an Adanian Labs startup by CEO John Kamara. The startup received funding from Mac Venture Capital and Next Chymia.
The idea to incorporate blockchain technology in the health sector for the storage of data was born when a friend of Kamara passed on due to a wrong intervention during a medical emergency. Kamara witnessed first-hand how the lack of medical records and static data lead to poor medical management.
He then built an AI platform that would track health data. The platform is aimed at bridging the gap between healthcare and treatment anywhere, anytime. He built the platform for patients, medical professionals, providers and organizations.
“Bringing real-time access to data that captures the mobility of health records was the solution. Our tool now allows patients to create a portal with all their health data and most importantly gives patients sovereign rights of ownership of their data,” Kamara states.
“The patient logs in and sees all their information, from every healthcare provider they have interacted with. The power of patients owning their health records and having real-time access to their information is lifesaving, and it is their right to have access to it,” he added.
Medical records are a vital tool in managing health and notifying healthcare professionals of medications, chronic illnesses, past problems and procedures.
Misdiagnosis is serious malpractice and can lead to a delay in treatment of the real condition. It is preventable if only health records are accurate and mobile.
Projects Done by Afya Rekod
The AI tool allows patients to create a portal with all their health data. It also gives patients sovereign rights of ownership of their data.
The subscription-driven Universal Patient Portal is a blockchain-based solution. The portal represents a consolidated mobile data health passport.
The passport allows them access to a marketplace of various services within the healthcare ecosystem in real-time. The health passport also guarantees patients the opportunity to access their health data remotely.
Afya Rekod offers an electronic health management system with digital tools to manage key aspects of hospitals and clinics.
Partnerships
Afya Rekod is part of the NVIDIA program via AICE Africa. It has over 150,000 users in Kenya alone. The platform extends to over 50 hospitals from Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. Afya Rekod plans to cover the whole scope of the African continent.
Some of the partners that support the programs at Afya Rekod include the Healthy Mind Foundation of Nigeria and GE Healthcare. Other players are The Africa Blockchain Center, The AI Center of Excellence, Adanian Labs, Lishe Living, etc.
The Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (AOSK) and AURA organization from South Africa also assist Afya Rekod in achieving its strategic objectives in the African spheres.
Host for the EthSafari bootcamp
September was a striking month for the crypto community as the largest and greatest Eth event was running throughout the month.
On the 19th and 20th of the same month, the Afya Rekod Nairobi Campus, Kenya, hosted an EthSafari bootcamp organized by ImpactPlus. The bootcamp encompassed a beginner and intermediate web3 bootcamp and a panel discussion on the social impact elements of blockchain.
The panelists included Shodipo Ayomide from Polygon, Jefferson Mkungusi from Africa Blockchain Center, Felix Mcharia from KotaniPay and Alice Anangi from Crypsense Digital Group.
While giving his remarks on the bootcamp held on the 20th, Kamara mentioned that his goal for starting Adanian Labs was to empower young developers from the African continent.
“Quality events like these which 5 years ago wasn’t a possibility and having partners who are coming to Africa to support us achieve the objective value of building solutions that change our lives and solutions that solve problems that we can show the rest of the world,” he said.
Kamara also encouraged the youth to look for blockchain real solutions that would transform the African systems.
“When you think about blockchain don’t just think about what exchange will I build. What new Swap currency will I build? Think can I solve problems in healthcare? Can I solve problems with digital IDs? Can I solve problems with IPs for artists, like real problems,” he stated.
The EthSafari event attracted developers from various regions globally who took part in a hackathon before traveling to the coastal region of Kenya at Kilifi for a three-day conference. While at Beneath the Baobab in Kilifi, the developers exhibited their projects before bringing the event to an end with a magnificent festival.
