AI-powered health tool confronts Africa’s chronic disease burden amid infrastructure collapse
Africa’s healthcare systems are crumbling under the weight of chronic disease, workforce shortages, and deteriorating infrastructure. With over 100 million people living with conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, the continent faces a silent epidemic that traditional health systems are ill-equipped to manage.
In response, a new and innovative AI-powered health companion has emerged as a lifeline.
Developed by HubPharm Africa, the tool, named AFIYA, is a multimodal, multilingual digital tool designed to operate on WhatsApp, Africa’s most widely used messaging platform, offering 24/7 access to health information, medication reminders, and remote consultations. The launch coincides with World Pharmacy Day 2025, while its deployment marks a critical intervention in a region where doctor-to-patient ratios remain dangerously low and physical access to care is often impossible.
AFIYA’s AI-driven model empowers users to monitor symptoms, receive medication reminders, and consult remotely with verified professionals, a lifeline for those who would otherwise go untreated.
Pharm. Sesan Kareem, Founder of HubPharm Africa, Sesan Kareem, explained, “For many, managing chronic illness is a daily struggle. AFIYA aims to change this narrative.”
But the digital tool is not just for patients. It functions as a clinical intelligence tool for health professionals, offering real-time guidance on drug interactions, dosage, and emerging evidence. In doing so, it bolsters clinical decision-making and enhances patient safety, a crucial step toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Kareem said.
He said, “In regions plagued by unreliable electricity and poor road networks, the tool’s design is both pragmatic and revolutionary. It thrives on low bandwidth, requires no additional downloads, and is supported by solar-powered fulfilment centres and mobile health hubs. These innovations ensure continuity of care even in areas without grid power”.
But the innovation goes deeper, according to Kareem who is a pharmacist. “The tool supports over 30 African languages, making it one of the most culturally inclusive digital health tools on the continent. It empowers patients to take charge of their health, while also equipping community health workers and clinicians with clinical intelligence, from drug interaction checks to dosage guidelines.”
“The implications for primary healthcare are profound. In rural and underserved areas, the tool enables task-shifting, allowing frontline workers to screen and triage patients with minimal resources. This not only reduces pressure on overstretched hospitals but also facilitates early intervention and chronic disease management.”
Contributing, HubPharm CEO, Temitope Kareem, said, that the tool promotes the deployment of solar-powered fulfilment centres and mobile health hubs. These units ensure access to medicines and digital services even in off-grid communities, while partnerships with telecom providers aim to zero-rate data usage, a critical step toward equitable access.
The pandemic proved that digital health is no longer optional. For Africa, it is a necessity. Digital tools are direct response to systemic failure. It challenges policymakers, health ministries, and global health actors to rethink how care is delivered in today’s healthcare.
If Africa is to make meaningful progress toward Universal Health Coverage, it must embrace scalable, inclusive, and context-aware solutions.
