Access to quality healthcare remains out of reach for millions across Africa.
Outdated systems, fragmented records, limited funding, and logistical barriers continue to hinder the delivery of effective medical services. But one African company is proving that with the right technology, transformation is not only possible—it’s already happening.
Meet Helium Health:
Founded in 2016 by Adegoke Olubusi, Tito Ovia, and Dimeji Sofowora, Helium Health is one of Africa’s most prominent digital health platforms. Headquartered in Nigeria and now operating in seven countries, including Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, Cameroon, Uganda, and Kenya, the company empowers over 7,000 medical professionals and facilitates more than 300,000 patient visits monthly.
What started as an electronic medical records (EMR) system has evolved into a full-stack technology suite built specifically for Africa’s complex healthcare ecosystem.
A Suite of Products Designed for African Healthcare:
1. HeliumDoc: The “Uber for Doctors”
HeliumDoc connects patients with top doctors for telemedicine, appointment scheduling, and health service discovery. Think of it as the Uber of African healthcare—it puts access to care at patients’ fingertips while helping professionals grow their practices with visibility, reviews, and digital tools.
2. HeliumOS: Digitising Hospital Management
HeliumOS is a data-powered platform that allows hospitals and clinics to manage everything from electronic health records to billing, prescriptions, lab processes, and operations.
It supports real-time insights and decision-making, improving both clinical outcomes and administrative efficiency.
3. HeliumCredit: Financing for Healthcare Facilities
With a $66 billion annual healthcare financing gap in Nigeria alone, access to credit is vital.
HeliumCredit provides fast, flexible loans to healthcare providers, helping them:
- Upgrade equipment
- Expand services
- Improve care — without overwhelming paperwork or delays
Facilities can apply online and get funded within 48 hours.
4. HeliumWallet: Smarter Payments, Seamless Billing
HeliumWallet is a digital payment platform that helps healthcare providers manage revenue securely and efficiently.
Key features include:
- Multi-channel collections (POS, USSD, mobile money, transfers)
- Real-time revenue dashboards
- Instant settlements
- Automated reconciliation
- Enhanced financial transparency
By simplifying billing and collections, HeliumWallet frees up providers to focus on what matters most: patient care.
The African Healthcare Crisis: 5 Key Problems and How Helium Health Is Solving Them
1. Fragmented and Paper-Based Hospital Systems
The problem: Most public and private facilities still rely on manual documentation, leading to lost records, data errors, and delays.
Helium’s solution: HeliumOS digitises operations, from EMRs and lab results to prescriptions and billing – creating a seamless workflow that reduces errors and improves efficiency.
2. Limited Access to Qualified Medical Professionals
The problem: In rural and underserved regions, patients often travel miles to find a doctor or specialist.
Helium’s solution: HeliumDoc connects patients to doctors virtually, allowing appointment booking, telemedicine, and follow-up care—bridging gaps in both time and distance.
3. Inadequate Financing for Clinics and Healthcare Providers
The problem: Many facilities cannot afford essential upgrades, equipment, or expansion, limiting their impact.
Helium’s solution: HeliumCredit offers fast, flexible loans within 48 hours, tailored to healthcare revenue cycles. This empowers providers to grow and serve more patients sustainably.
4. Lack of Transparency in Medical Billing and Revenue Management
The problem: Manual billing systems lead to revenue leakage, fraud, and poor decision-making.
Helium’s solution: HeliumWallet introduces automated reconciliation, real-time dashboards, and multi-channel collections—ensuring providers stay financially healthy.
5. Inequitable Access to Healthcare Technology
The problem: Tech solutions are often too expensive or not built for the African context.
Helium’s solution: Helium builds affordable, scalable platforms tailored for African clinics of all sizes—with local language support, offline capabilities, and ease of use in mind.
Countries Helium Health Has Impacted So Far
Helium Health is active in 7 African countries, each with unique engagements:
- Nigeria – Headquarters and largest market. Over 300 healthcare facilities onboarded, digitised EMRs, and deployed HeliumWallet across private hospitals.
- Ghana – Implementing HeliumOS in both public and private hospitals; pilot financing programs under HeliumCredit.
- Liberia – Focused on doctor-patient connectivity via HeliumDoc and strengthening digital health records.
- Senegal – Partnering with regional health organisations to improve hospital workflow through HeliumOS.
- Cameroon – Supporting clinic digitisation and real-time data access.
- Uganda – Rolling out HeliumCredit to fund facility expansion and digitise small rural clinics.
- Kenya – Active in Nairobi’s urban healthcare network; integrating HeliumWallet for billing transparency.
Backed by Global Investors
Helium Health has earned global recognition:
- In 2023, it raised $30 million in a Series B round led by AXA IM Alts and Anne Wojcicki (co-founder of 23andMe)
- In 2020, it secured $10 million in Series A funding backed by Y Combinator
These investments confirm the international community’s trust in Helium Health’s model and mission.
What’s Next for African Healthcare Tech?
The Helium Health model proves that technology built for Africa can solve African problems—but to achieve continent-wide transformation, key steps remain:
- Government Partnerships: Encourage national health ministries to integrate platforms like HeliumOS into public hospitals.
- Training & Capacity Building: Scale provider education programs so health workers can use these tools confidently.
- Data-Driven Health Strategy: Leverage Helium’s analytics tools to track disease patterns, health outcomes, and policy effectiveness.
- Wider Financial Access: Expand HeliumCredit to rural providers and women-led clinics, creating an equitable ecosystem.
- Cross-Platform Interoperability: Push for healthcare systems to talk to each other, improving care continuity across facilities and regions.
With the right investment, partnerships, and policy alignment, Helium Health could power Africa’s leap into a digitally driven, more equitable healthcare future.
At Ducit Blue, we’re proud to spotlight innovators like Helium Health who are leading Africa’s digital healthcare future—one platform at a time.
References:
Helium Health – https://heliumhealth.com
Helium Health: Meet the Founders Driving Health care Innovations with Technology| HealthCap Africa – https://healthcap.co/helium-health-meet-the-founders-driving-healthcare-innovation-with-technology
HeliumDoc Connects Doctors & Patients across Africa|Helium Health – HeliumDoc Connects Doctors & Patients Across Africa | Helium Health
HeliumOS Patient Care via Real-Time Digitization|Helium Health – https://heliumhealth.com/helium-os
Financing Solutions for Health Care Facilities & Clinics – https://heliumhealth.com/helium-credit
HeliumWallet’s Seamless Medical Billing & Payment|Helium Health – https://heliumhealth.com/helium-wallet
Helium Health gets $30M, backed by AXA IM Alts and 23andMe’s Anne Wojcicki TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/05/helium-health-gets-30m-backed-by-axa-im-and-23andmes-anne-wojcicki
