An interview with Miiro Chraish, the Head of Research and Data at MobiKlinic


Tell us a little bit about your innovation. What is the problem? What solution are you offering? 

MobiKlinic is a company that has developed digital health tools for different population segments to ease access to healthcare from the base of the economic pyramid. Among our innovations include: (1) Mobiklearn, a basic health skills online training platform, (2) MobiKlinic CHW tool, an app to actively support community health workers (CHWs) with patient data storage, retrieval, tele consultation and referral and (3) a MobiKlinic city model to create flexibility in health service delivery. 

Our renal health program is nested into the MobiKlinic CHW tool, and this was developed to solve the following problems:

With our renal health program, we provide conveniently costed screening for NCDs, teleconsultation, routine monitoring and pharmacotherapy through a chain of digitised community based CHWs who are remotely supported by a handful of healthcare professionals to reach extensive communities. 

We have products for different population segments, but our renal care and other NCD care services are designed for rural dwellers and urban poor above 40 years old or those with any predisposition to NCDs. 

What is a recent example of progress? What are you currently celebrating?

With all our solutions, MobiKlinic has reached over 25,000 people for such services like maternal and child health, vaccination, family planning and NCD management. 

We have so far screened 532 people for diabetes, hypertension and renal disease and 74 people have so far received services from our renal program. 

Outside our renal care program, we recently concluded our successful implementation of biometrics technology in COVID-19 vaccinations, where we had almost 3,000 people biometrically enrolled, 500 unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people being vaccinated, while significantly reducing the time it takes to verify beneficiaries for vaccines. 

Additionally, in April 2024, our CEO, Mr. Andrew Ddembe was awarded a Global Citizen Prize in recognition for the outstanding contribution to community transformation through MobiKlinic. 

What are the primary challenges you’re currently facing?

Our primary challenge is building a viable business model for sustainability. Most of our services target those at the bottom of the financial pyramid, whose purchasing power plays a disadvantage to our self-sustainability. 

Over the course of developing your innovation, what is something you have learned that you would like to share with other innovators?

We have learned the power of partnerships in advancing noble causes that are costed affordably. We have been able to spread out operational costs through partnering with local health facilities for clinical services and logistical support, a health sciences university (Clarke International University) for training quality assurance and M&E, and Simprints for technology enhancement including integration of digital biometrics technology. 

How has Villgro Africa and the Making More Health (MMH) program impacted your growth?

Through BI, MMH and Villgro Africa, seed funding has been provided for our Renal Care program with extension to other NCD care. Through this funding, we have been able to put together technology requirements, ensuring that our app can create a smooth chain of interaction from a patient, to a CHW, to a doctor, enabling offline functionality, and automation. 

The seed funding has also enabled an infusion of wellbeing monitors including blood pressure machines, glucometers, urine dipsticks and complementary sundries on top of a starter pack of drugs for CHWs. 

Additionally, Villgro Africa has provided close and active support in business development, planning and fundraising through the ongoing, routine workshops, and linkage to committed mentors from Boehringer Ingelheim