Healthsend’s decision to venture into the Kenyan market was driven by the country’s substantial diasporan community, which faces healthcare challenges akin to those experienced in the Nigerian market. Additionally, Healthsend has fostered strong ties within Kenya’s local health and technology ecosystem.
The CEO of Healthsend, Neto Ikpeme, shared, “We have willing partners helping us make it easier to serve the loved ones of Kenyans living in the diaspora. After our launch in Nigeria, some Kenyans living abroad kept asking when we would launch in their country. We are now delighted to go live in Kenya to serve them.”
The service, named Healthsend, enables immigrants to deposit funds into a website wallet system and utilise these funds to pay for a range of healthcare services provided by the company, catering to their family members in both Nigeria and Kenya. This service extends to immigrants residing in the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
Remittances, or the money sent by immigrants to support their families, have played a pivotal role in alleviating poverty and enhancing overall well-being. Over the past decade, remittances to Africa have more than doubled, surpassing foreign direct investment (FDI) and official development assistance (ODA) funding, “reaching an impressive $100 billion in 2022,” according to the United Nations.
In May 2022, the World Bank Migration and Development estimated that sub-Saharan Africa received $49 billion in remittances in 2021, with Nigeria’s substantial diaspora population significantly contributing to these inflows, followed by countries like Ghana, Kenya, and Senegal.
Although Healthsend Africa initially emerged from Neto Ikpeme’s personal journey in addressing his family’s challenges in accessing high-quality healthcare, the company also recognises the potential of the diaspora in enhancing local healthcare access.
For now, immigrants can use Healthsend to purchase medication and health plans, including health insurance, primarily catering to chronic illnesses like diabetes for their loved ones in Kenya. The company has plans to expand its offerings to include various healthcare services for immigrants’ loved ones in Kenya, such as scheduling doctor appointments, offering health insurance products, and remote medical condition monitoring.
While the concept of assisting immigrants in managing healthcare access for their families back home isn’t entirely novel in Nigeria or Kenya, Healthsend distinguishes itself through its profound understanding of the issue.
The company has partnered with other firms and intends to continue doing so to expand the sector and better aid those living abroad in caring for their families.
