Tech

Tanzania’s med-tech startup, CHIL Femtech, launches telemedicine product for students across Africa

Published

2 years ago

April 10, 2023

Tanzanian med-tech startup, CHIL Femtech Center, has launched a new technology to improve healthcare for students in schools across Africa.

Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa, the co-founder and CEO of CHIL Femtech Center, said in a statement on Monday that the group was worried over the lack of medical supplies and equipment across schools in the continent.

“Over 80% of schools in Africa lack stationed doctors, medical equipment and supplies and CHIL Femtech Center’s new product will offer a solution to ensure students have access to full-time online doctors,” he said.

According to Kaliisa, the new technology will efficiently link schools with telemedicine equipment manufacturers who have technologies that are compatible with CHIL’s Telemedicine Artificial Intelligence chatbot.

“When a student falls ill, the partner school acts as a guarantor for the student and the school pays back before the end of term,” he explained.

“The product offers a range of services including e-consultation, where each student can consult with one of 175 online doctors, e-referral, where a student can be referred to a partner laboratory, and e-pharmacy, where drugs prescribed can be ordered online and delivered to the school.

“The innovative aspect of the product is that students can access these services and the school pays back later.

“We are thrilled to launch this product in Tanzania and bring this game-changing solution to schools across Africa.

“Our goal is to help improve the health and well-being of students by providing them with access to quality health care services. We believe this product will have a positive impact on schools and the health care industry as a whole,” Kaliisa said.

The company is currently starting in Tanzania, and will then expand into Kenya and Uganda, with hope to reach the entire African continent by 2025, the CEO added.

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Tech

Kenya’s ticketing startup BuuPass partners Flexpay for flexible travel payments

Published

2 days ago

December 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Kenyan digital ticketing startup, BuuPass, has entered into a partnership with goal-based savings platform, Flexpay, to offer customers flexible payment plans ahead of holiday travels as well as simplify travel planning and ease the financial burden of holiday travel for Kenyans.

Co-founder and CEO at Buupass, Sonia Kabra, who unveiled the package at a press conference, said the collaboration between the two platforms will allow travellers to save for their journeys in manageable, interest-free installments over four to 12 weeks.

“Travelers can select their travel dates, book tickets, and pay a small deposit upfront, with the remaining balance spread across weekly or monthly payments,” she said.

“This approach offers a stress-free way for families and large groups to secure their tickets early, helping them avoid last-minute price hikes as fares are locked in.

“By partnering with Flexpay, we’re giving travelers the flexibility to budget for their trips in advance. This initiative aligns with our mission to make travel accessible to everyone, providing a solution that meets customers where they are financially,” said Kabra.

Also speaking at the event, Richard Machomba, CEO and founder of Flexpay, said:

“Flexpay’s mission is to empower individuals by providing accessible financial solutions that make it easier for them to achieve their financial goals.

“By partnering with BuuPass, we’re making travel more accessible and stress-free for Kenyans, especially during the holiday season when expenses can be overwhelming,” Machomba added.

Founded in 2016 by Kabra and Wyclife Omondi, BuuPass is a B2B2C mobility marketplace that enables users to search, compare, and book travel tickets via web, app, or USSD, while its SaaS platform helps bus operators manage their operations, inventory, and sales.

FlexPay, on the other hand, is an online and offline payment gateway that allows merchants to offer interest-free targeted savings to their customers in Africa.

Tech

DR Congo sues tech giant Apple over illegal mineral exploitation

Published

3 days ago

December 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has filed a criminal case against the European subsidiaries of tech giant, Apple, accusing them of illegal mineral exploitation and allegedly using “blood minerals” in its supply chain.

In the suit filed on Tuesday, the DRC alleges that Apple has bought contraband supplies from the country’s conflict-ladden east and Rwanda, zones in which it allege the materials are mined illegally and then integrated into global supply chains before ending up in tech devices.

The DRC suit specifically mentioned Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium, accusing the tech giant of using conflict minerals in its supply chain.

The DRC is a major source of tin, tantalum, and tungsten which are used in electronic devices, with some mines controlled by armed groups responsible for human rights violations.

International lawyers representing the African country’s government have accused Apple’s local subsidiaries of taking these minerals from conflict areas and laundering them through international supply chains, with one lawyer telling journalists that Belgium had a moral duty to act given its history of exploiting the country’s resources under colonial rule.

However, in its response, Apple claims it conducts supplier audits and does not directly source primary minerals.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1262670-dr-congo-sues-apple-over-alleged-illegal-mineral-exploitation