Why we developed app to boost preventive healthcare -Kazeem Lawal, Co-founder Axocheck
A team of Nigerian tech entrepreneurs based both locally and in the diaspora has released a new app designed to support preventive healthcare in Nigeria. The newly introduced Axocheck is a subscription-based app that provides concierge healthcare professionals that carry out in-home basic health checks on your loved ones back in Nigeria regularly.
The idea came to light when these Nigerians who understand the pain of constantly having to worry about the health of their loved ones back home or in other states, decided to do something about it.
Speaking on the launch, co-founder and CEO, Kazeem Lawal gave an insight into Axocheck: “I have always been about leveraging technology to solve problems, particularly when you think of Africa as a continent. What gave birth to Axocheck was an incident that happened years ago. My father who has always been healthy was suddenly rushed to the hospital after he slumped. It dawned on me that we could have lost him or he could have been disabled.
“A lot of us abroad don’t know the full story of the state of health of our family members back home and when something goes wrong, we start to rush. We have an opportunity to be more proactive and ensuring our loved ones get help using technology”.
The Nigerian Xpress spoke to him at the launch.
What exactly do you mean when you say this is a preventive medicine app?
We mean preventive medicine in the sense that we get in front of issues before it becomes a problem. For us at Axocheck, we know when issues are caught early the cost to remediate is cheaper and the prognosis is much more likely to better for everyone that takes advantage of our platform.
How did you all meet and decide to start a health-based app?
Tunde and I went to high school together and we have always had the intention to make a change in our country by leveraging technology. As such, we brought the best strategy mind we knew onboard in the person of Gbenga. With the many years of experience in various fields and industries by the three of us, we have been able to come up with this health-based solution to further contribute to the growth being experienced in the Nigerian healthcare sector.
As the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for remote healthcare is bigger than ever before. How will this app support its users in the battle against COVID-19?
Since the advent of COVID-19, the need for people being in front of their health and the need for home-care is more important than ever. The place of remote care in the healthcare sector has become even much more important. However, we still understand the need to have a human touch concerning health-based issues. We have therefore come with a solution that further reduces the need to go to the hospital where there is a high risk of contracting COVID-19. Our highly trained nursing professionals understand the need for safety and would therefore be in the perfect position to carry out health checks to proactively prevent bad medical conditions.
When the pandemic is finally curtailed, healthcare is never going back to the way it was before, do you think telemedicine will gain ample grounds in Nigeria post-COVID-19?
I think that telemedicine is here to stay as people are becoming more tech-savvy. But it is important that to note that while technology is an enabler, there is also the place of the human touch especially with regards to the medical field. Axocheck as a hybrid e-health solution, therefore, provides an in-person visit from a healthcare professional, which is backed up with telemedicine capabilities that will be engaged when necessary. This hybrid approach is necessary as the market is not fully matured for a full-fledged telemedicine approach.
In your opinion, what is the future outlook of telemedicine in healthcare?
The future is bright. we believe the hybrid approach is the key and using technology to set apps, using it to capture inputs in real-time during the visit and having access to your record is the future. All of these and more are very much available and delivered by the Axocheck app today.
How exactly will this app keep tabs on users’ health?
The key is records. We have developed a centralized system where users can get access to their records and can port them to a specialist as they need them. The Axocheck app has a robust backend system which allows us to gather user health information privately and safely. The system is such that it can be accessed by the user, and by extension the user’s hospital with permission from the user.
Digital health solutions like this are blossoming in Nigeria. What sets yours apart?
Five things set us apart, The entire experience is hybrid as technology is backed up with great healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals on the Axocheck platform use the app to complete the entire process. There is no paper involved during the entire check process as all data is captured using the app. Everything is accomplished in real-time. Certified medical doctors review notes from the field while providing feedback and recommendations to clients. Easy access to history/record for patients and can be ported as needed. Beyond all the above, we truly embody prevention is better than cure, as we seek to get ahead of health problems.
With Nigeria’s low doctor-patient ratio, how will this app improve access to quality healthcare?
We understand the many challenges as experienced in the Nigerian healthcare sector. One of the many being the low doctor-patient ratio. And that is why we have gone in the direction of using the many available highly skilled and trained nurses as a stop-gap to catching health issues before they become huge medical problems.
When we get in front of these health issues, we would automatically reduce the need for many doctors in the short term while we continue to grow the doctor base as a nation.
Many Nigerians struggle financially; would this be a more affordable option for many?
One of the most exciting things about the Axocheck option is that it’s very affordable. And apart from the fact that it is very affordable, it also will save people high cost when ailments are detected in the later stages.
Is this app open for use to all Nigerians?
Yes, it is available for all Nigerians. We also encourage all Nigerians in the diaspora to take advantage of this solution as a means of keeping tabs on the health of their loved ones back home. You can download the Axocheck App on Apple and Google Play stores.
Considering that you’re targeting the older demography in particular, would they be able to use it easily without help considering they may not be very tech-savvy?
We are targeting all Nigerians. The current life expectancy in Nigeria is less than 55 years for males and 57 for females. As such we have an opportunity to get in front of the many health issues, which impact us as a nation taking advantage of the Axocheck health check app. The technology is so easy to use and was intentionally designed for all digital personas.
