Grace Ashiru
HealthDart, a promising start-up based in South Africa, is dedicated to revolutionizing the national healthcare system by implementing technology-driven solutions.
Inefficiencies within the public healthcare system in the country, such as long waiting lists and time-consuming clinic queues, have been a persistent issue.
Even the private sector, although providing faster services, still faces its own set of inefficiencies. This challenging scenario has paved the way for HealthDart, an initiative that seeks to transform healthcare delivery by leveraging various technologies, including Artificial Intelligence.
HealthDart, headquartered in Johannesburg, has received significant support from Founders Factory Africa, an early-stage investor. Furthermore, the start-up has been selected to be part of the Google For Start-ups Black Founders Fund 2023 cohort.
Being included in this cohort provides HealthDart with several benefits and resources. As a participant, the start-up can receive up to $150,000 in non-dilutive cash awards and $200,000 in Google Cloud credits. Additionally, HealthDart will receive support for Google Ads and have access to one-on-one mentoring from Google employees and industry experts.
Njabulo Skhosana, the co-founder and CEO of HealthDart, has embarked on a remarkable journey, transitioning from being a healthcare scientist to an innovative entrepreneur dedicated to transforming the healthcare industry.
Skhosana explains that HealthDart’s mission is to ensure that individuals receive appropriate healthcare that is both accessible and affordable. To achieve this, the start-up introduced an AI-powered chatbot last year. The chatbot assists users in finding the most suitable healthcare providers based on their specific needs.
This chatbot is just one aspect of HealthDart’s comprehensive suite of services. The start-up offers digital consultations with doctors and nurses, convenient appointment booking, prescription uploads, and medication deliveries. All of these services are facilitated through in-app payments, providing users with a seamless and integrated healthcare experience.
Skhosana emphasizes that HealthDart’s ultimate goal extends beyond facilitating patient interactions with the healthcare system. The start-up also aims to reduce the financial burden and time spent seeking treatment. By accelerating accurate treatment, patients can return to work more quickly, increasing disposable income, while healthcare providers can enhance their efficiency.
However, Skhosana acknowledges that digital healthcare is still in its early stages in South Africa. He notes that the nation is only beginning its digital transformation journey in the healthcare sector. Skhosana believes that despite the country’s population of 60 million, the number of individuals actively utilizing virtual healthcare services regularly is likely to be small, estimating it to be less than a hundred thousand.
HealthDart’s potential impact extends beyond patients to healthcare facilities as well. By offering improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness, HealthDart has the potential to enhance the overall experience for healthcare providers. Njabulo Skhosana also envisions future partnerships with medical aid schemes and insurers, as they stand to benefit from the efficiency and effectiveness that HealthDart’s services can provide.
With its vision of leveraging technology and the support of Google, HealthDart is well-positioned to bring about transformative changes in South Africa’s healthcare landscape. Although still in the early stages of its journey, the start-up holds immense promise. Skhosana is determined to deliver a more efficient, cost-effective, and improved healthcare experience for the people of South Africa, potentially extending its impact to the broader African continent. Through its tech-enabled approach, HealthDart has the potential to make a significant difference in healthcare accessibility and quality.
