- Waspito, a Cameroonian health startup, has received a $2.5 million seed extension to expand into Senegal and Gabon.
- DP World via Newtown Partners, Saviu Ventures, AAIC Investment, Axian Ventures, and Health54 invested in this additional seed round.
- The startup, which raised $2.7 million in seed funding in 2022, expanded to Ivory Coast in 2023, where it’s testing a hybrid model.
Founded in 2020 by Jean Lobe Lobe, Waspito is a Cameroonian startup that enables users to video call and communicate with verified doctors.
Users can choose a doctor from a list of those currently online when they log in to the site, unlike other telemedicine platforms that require pre-registration and consultation meeting booking.
Before consultations, patients pay using several methods, including insurance. Following a consultation with a physician on the platform, Lobe stated that because of its hospital partnerships, treatment can continue at the nearest hospital without requiring additional payment or registration.
Waspito also makes it easier to deliver medication and collect samples from homes. When a doctor prescribes medical testing, a technician from one of its partner laboratories visits to collect samples.
Additionally, users can anonymously join different disease support groups to receive personalised guidance.
Billed as Facebook for healthcare, Waspito expects an increase in consultations through its platform as it implements a hybrid model that it is testing in the Ivory Coast, where it has established mini-clinics to serve patients who can’t access its online services.
In January 2021, Côte D'Ivoire had a population of 26.71 million, but only 12.50 million were online. Nonetheless, the Internet users climbed to 12.94 million as of January 2023.
Waspito is establishing these clinics within the vast national network of La Poste Corporation, Ivory Coast's national postal service. With the help of the nurses who work at these sites, patients will have virtual access to doctors and other healthcare services offered by its partners.
