IFC - International Finance Corporation

11/22/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/22/2023 02:39

IFC partners with KERA to improve access to healthcare services in West Africa, using AI and digital solutions

​Dakar, Senegal, November 21, 2023- A partnership was announced today between IFC and KERA Health Platforms, a pre-seed stage health tech company based in Dakar, Senegal, connecting and augmenting the healthcare ecosystem with AI-powered services.

KERA digitizes and connects distributed health information to create an integrated health platform for Africa, starting in Senegal. Kera's platform leverages AI by aggregating siloed data in the ecosystem, including EHRs, lab results, pharmacy, intelligent health records, and health insurance products. This technology will affordably improve healthcare delivery by empowering patients, healthcare professionals, and partners with actionable information.

"We are thrilled to partner with IFC, whose commitment to digitizing healthcare in Africa aligns seamlessly with ours. As Africa stands on the cusp of a demographic boom, harnessing the power of technology in healthcare is not just an opportunity; it is an imperative. Through initiatives like KERA, we do not just envision a healthier Africa; we are actively molding it," said Moustapha Cisse, Founder and CEO of Kera Health Platforms. "Thanks to this collaboration with IFC, we are poised to accelerate the integration of AI, enhancing healthcare accessibility and outcomes across the continent."

"The digitization of healthcare in Africa is central to our investment focus. The continent grapples with a shortage of healthcare professionals, limited health infrastructure, and minimal health insurance coverage," said Mohamed Gouled, Vice President of Industries at IFC. "We are confident that AI holds the transformative potential to bridge these gaps, ushering in a new era of enhanced care quality. As we embark on this pivotal journey, collaborating with visionary tech experts like Moustapha Cisse, Papa Sow and Hosam Mattar, through companies like KERA, is a unique opportunity to fast-track a truly scalable solution."

With its boundless potential, the African continent faces an acute healthcare challenge. It bears the weight of one of the lowest doctor-population ratios in the world, with about 1.5 medical professionals per 1,000 individuals. In Senegal, as of 2020, there was an average of less than one physician per 10,000 people.

The healthcare industry heavily relies on data, making it a prime sector for utilizing data analytics and AI technologies. For developing countries, AI can improve clinical care management's speed, accuracy, and quality in areas where trained healthcare professionals are scarce. This investment in Kera, a high-potential AI-powered company in Francophone Africa, aligns with IFC's digital health strategy, IFC's Digihealth and Digipharma programs.

About IFC

IFC - a member of the World Bank Group - is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2023, IFC committed a record $43.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information, visit www.ifc.org

About KERA

Kera is health technology company led by Moustapha Cissé, renowned AI scientist and professor at the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Moustapha is passionate about using AI to enhance lives, starting in Africa. He founded the African Masters of Machine Intelligence (AMMI), producing over 200 AI professionals since 2018. That same year, he co-founded Google's first engineering and AI research site in Africa after a successful tenure at META AI. Named among the 100 most influential Africans in 2019, Moustapha remains a leading figure in AI in Africa and internationally. He partners in this journey with Papa Sow (Co-founder and COO) an experienced business leader who most recently served as the CEO of MTN in Guinea Republic, and Hosam Mattar (Co-founder and CMO), AXA's former Chief Medical Officer in Africa.