Tag Archives: ZimSmart Villages

Samp Group, ZimSmart Villages in major healthcare initiative

from left to right…Tawanda Njerere, (Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer, ZimSmart Villages), Ashkar Patel, (COO, Samp Group), Ritesh Patel (Founder and Chairman, Samp Group), Admore Jokwiro (Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, ZimSmart Villages) and Maxwell Chitendeni (Postmaster General, Zimbabwe Postal Service)

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

In a groundbreaking initiative, Samp Group has partnered ZimSmart Villages in a healthcare investment which will see the establishment of 150 telehealth units across the country.

The Samp ZimSmart Villages initiative, will provide the much needed healthcare to millions of Zimbabweans, majority of them who live in the rural areas where services are scarce or sometimes nonexistent.

According to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), “telehealth is broadly defined as the use of communication technologies to provide health care at a distance.”

It is further revealed that “telehealth has become a valuable tool thanks to combined advances in communications, computer science, informatics, and medical technologies.”

Speaking at a press conference last Saturday to mark their partnership, Dr Admore Jokwiro, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of ZimSmart Villages said The Samp ZimSmart Villages initiative will help improve healthcare access.

Dr Jokwiro said the current “doctor to population ratio in the country stands at 1:5000 people, hence this partnership will improve that not in terms of numbers, but in terms of hours and efficiency.”

He further revealed that, “this partnership sees ZimSmart Villages joining hands with the Samp Group to establish a new entity called Samp ZimSmart Villages and this entity will be democratizing access to health care by establishing 150 telehealth units.

“So the Samp Group is bringing in funding for the establishment of these 150 units and ZimSmart Villages is implementing, providing the telehealth service, coordinating, managing the electronic health systems; the clinical care, ZimSmart will be providing that.

“The Samp Group is going to establish the kiosk and also bring in medicines and bring in world class equipment for the telehealth kiosk,” said Dr Jokwiro.

He further revealed that what they have built and what they are building is something that is very important for the people of Zimbabwe, as the current statistics show that health access is quite low.

Dr Jokwiro also paid tribute to the Samp Group saying, “what you have done and what you are doing for our people is something that means a lot to us and in return we want to improve health outcomes.

“We want our impact and our footprints to be able to increase life expectancy in Zimbabwe; that’s the only way we are able to repay the investment that you are bringing to Zimbabwe.”

Founder and Chairman of Samp Group, Ritesh Patel said after coming in for their second season of the Zim Afro T10 cricket tournament, they had looked at something else they can do for Zimbabwe as the Samp Group.

Patel said they thought the telehealth concept perfectly fits in well with them.

He added that they would want to bring in latest equipment from the United States and also medicines from India and the US.

“We also want to provide medication which can be provided here at a lower cost and which will be able to help everyone.

“We really want to help out and the main reason behind this is I came from a community called BAPS community.

“So I really wanted to see what I can do on behalf of the community, to work something in Zimbabwe.

“The BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu organisation has always believed in serving society.

“In fact Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj started BAPS Charities that provides medical, education, humanitarian, environmental and many other forms of outstanding care around the world, including Africa.

“My family and I have a strong belief in BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Sanstha. With the blessings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Guru Hari Pramukh Swami Maharaj, and current Guru Hari Mahant Swami, Maharaj; we have taken this noble initiative to serve the people of Zimbabwe,” added Patel.

Postmaster General from the Zimbabwe Postal Service, Maxwell Chitendeni said through their partnership with ZimSmart Villages, they were ready to transform the nation, leaving no one and no place behind.

“Through our partnership with ZimSmart Villages, we are doing quite a lot by providing space as well as logistic services.

“We are happy that Samp has come along to assist, to grow this vision which in my view is also going to transform the livelihoods and the citizenry of Zimbabwe.”

Tawanda Njerere, Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer, ZimSmart Villages, said “this partnership that we are forging today is a great opportunity for both entities that have decided to come together to form a synergy around healthcare in Zimbabwe.

“One of our greatest ambitions as we were starting this project was for us to be able to position whichever product or service that we are offering to the populace at a global level.

“I mean the ambition has been to bring the best technology, to bring the best kind of research, to bring the best kind of evidence-based learning to the populace of Zimbabwe no matter where they are located, be it in rural areas, be it urban areas as a way of ensuring that the best service gets to the people.

“So this partnership that we are forging today allows us to do that,” said Njerere.

He added: “what it has basically done is that overnight because of the synergies that we are building with Samp, it has allowed us to position globally and act locally, so because of this, we are very much excited because the synergy is going to bring about expertise, is going to bring about medicines, it’s going to bring about access to advanced technology, all things that we have been looking forward to.

“This has really been part of our ambition.”

ZimSmart Villages: connecting communities through innovation

ZimSmart Villages team, at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The advancement of e-health and e-commerce has really brought innovation to communities, providing people with technological solutions in this fast paced world.

And many such innovations have bridged the technology gap and in terms of e-health, it has increased access, hence communities have healthier lives.

One such technological advancement, BatsiHealth, a ZimSmart Villages innovation, was showcased at the recently held Harare Agricultural Show.

To know more about this innovation, NewsSpace Reporter MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA (MBD), interviewed ALSANDRAH KUVAOGA (AK) Commercial Manager at ZimSmart Villages, which comprises of BatsiHealth and XMarketplace.

 

MBD: Who is behind BatsiHealth?

AK: BatsiHealth is one of the three pillars of ZimSmart Villages, an organisation that is leveraging technology in the provision of e-commerce and e-health mainly targeting underserved communities. This is done through the setting-up of kiosks in the communities which are access points for e-health and e-commerce.

 

MBD: When was it established?

AK: BatsiHealth was established in 2023 with the first Kiosk being launched this year, 2024.

 

MBD: What was the purpose of its establishment?

AK: Zimbabwe faces a significant burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly diabetes and hypertension. These conditions are becoming increasingly prevalent, contributing to the country’s mortality rates. Despite this growing crisis, many Zimbabweans, particularly in rural and underserved areas, lack adequate access to healthcare services, information, and resources necessary for managing these diseases effectively. The lack of access to healthcare exacerbates the plight of these communities.

BatsiHealth was born out of a vision to address these multifaceted challenges. Our story began with a simple but powerful idea – to leverage technology and community initiatives to create sustainable solutions to Zimbabwe’s pressing problems. On the other hand the e-commerce leg compliments e-health by ensuring individuals are economically self-sufficient to access services.

 

MBD: And how do people access BatsiHealth?

AK: To access BatsiHealth, you visit http://www.vakaafya.com or download the application on Play Store or App Store, the app name is Vakaafya BatsiHealth.

 

MBD: How has it been so far, how has been the reception by members of the public?

AK: BatsiHealth has been progressing steadily. The public’s response has been positive, with a growing number of people showing interest in the platform, especially in underserved communities where healthcare access has been limited. We have also been conducting outreach programs where we screen for hypertension and diabetes for free and we also provide medication for free – these have been well-received, as they offer tangible benefits to individuals in need of medical services who may not always have funds to access healthcare. We’ve seen increasing sign-ups and inquiries, which indicates that people are recognizing the value we bring in terms of accessible healthcare.

 

MBD: Anything you can add on the platform?

AK: BatsiHealth is designed to provide a range of healthcare services, with a strong emphasis on convenience and accessibility. The platform offers online consultations with medical professionals, allowing patients to seek advice and treatment from the comfort of their homes. In addition, we offer remote monitoring services for individuals under ongoing treatment, ensuring they receive consistent care and can track their health progress without the need for frequent in-person visits.

We have also incorporated a Buy Medicine chatbot,  which streamlines the process of ordering medication online. This feature enhances convenience for patients by making it easier to get prescriptions delivered to their doorstep. The chatbot also assists in booking appointments for doctor’s consultations and laboratory tests.

Recognizing that not everyone in remote areas has access to smartphones or reliable internet, we’ve set up kiosks in those communities. These kiosks bridge the digital divide, enabling people to access healthcare services directly through the platform, regardless of their tech limitations. By doing so, we are ensuring that no one is left behind, regardless of their location or access to technology.

 

MBD: How was it participating at this year’s Agric Show?

AK: The Agricultural Show was an excellent opportunity for us to engage directly with the public and raise awareness about BatsiHealth. People were keen to learn about how we can bridge the gap between healthcare access and technology. The engagement was productive, as we had conversations with potential partners and individuals who are now interested in using our platform. It also got us to understand pain points more and we have since realized that while we focused on bridging the digital divide in remote areas, even in big towns it is present and we will have to work on bridging that as well.