Nigeria’s HelpMum, a startup focused on maternal health, has been chosen as one of the ten startups to join the 2023 Chat for Impact Health Accelerator. This initiative, led by Turn.io in partnership with WhatsApp and The Agency Fund, aims to bolster the efforts of healthcare organizations striving to offer health-related information and services to communities through WhatsApp.
With a mission to decrease maternal and infant mortality rates in Africa, HelpMum is among the trio of African tech startups that have been selected for this program. The participants will receive a funding grant of $25,000 along with valuable guidance and mentorship from renowned entities such as Open AI, The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), SameSame, Noora Health, Reach Digital Health, Vote.org, and White Rice.
This collaborative effort aims to enhance the impact of these organizations’ healthcare services by harnessing behavioral science, rigorous evaluation, and ethically designed AI within their digital communications.
Dr. Abiodun Adereni, the CEO and founder of HelpMum, shared his excitement about being chosen for this influential accelerator program. He noted that this selection is a testament to the significant progress HelpMum has achieved since its inception.
HelpMum is enthusiastic about its participation in the Chat for Impact accelerator initiative. A noteworthy addition to their innovations is the HelpMum Vaccination Tracker Chatbot, which will play a significant role in this accelerator initiative.
Pippa Yeats, co-founder of Turn.io, expressed satisfaction in aiding these startups to expand their influence and reach, which have already demonstrated positive effects on their respective communities. She highlighted the intention to collaborate closely to amplify their healthcare offerings.
HelpMum, a social health-tech startup focused on maternal and infant mortality, recently secured a $250,000 grant from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. This grant supports the deployment of ADVISER, an AI-driven vaccine Intervention Optimizer, in Nigeria. This accomplishment marks HelpMum as the first Nigerian startup to receive such a grant.
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African Startups, Including HelpMum, in Chat for Impact Accelerator
From a pool of over 375 applicants, the 2023 cohort comprises a diverse array of organizations from EMEA, LATAM, and APAC regions. These organizations operate within various health sectors, including mental health, general healthcare access, maternal health, women’s health, immunization, and health education.
HelpMum is the sole Nigerian startup and one of three African startups to be chosen. The other two African startups, Access Afya from Kenya and Rocket Health from Uganda, offer localized primary healthcare services and telemedicine solutions respectively.
Rocket Health, a prominent private digital health company in Uganda, facilitates telemedicine and last-mile health services through chat, voice, and video calls between doctors and patients. Aras Jizan, a member of The Agency Fund, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, emphasizing their commitment to supporting the acceleration of impactful health projects.
The considerable number of applications—over 375—from global healthcare organizations underscores the increasing recognition of secure chat platforms as pivotal elements in scalable health programs. The culmination of the Chat for Impact Accelerator will feature all ten participating organizations showcasing their live chat services at an event scheduled for the year’s end.
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