How Medwaka rebuilt itself into an emergency response platform

In 2024, the Medwaka emergency response platform emerged from the ashes of a personal tragedy. Essence, one of the co-founders, was inspired to build the platform after witnessing a close family friend's near-death childbirth experience. The team realized that the existing medical infrastructure in Africa was inadequate, leading them to create Medwaka as an emergency response platform that connects patients with hospitals, ambulances, and first responders via a mobile app.

Initially, the team focused on blood donation and emergency support for pregnant women in Ondo State, but they soon realized the need for a more comprehensive solution. Medwaka developed a mobile app that enables users to connect with nearby hospitals and ambulances during medical emergencies. In 2024, Medwaka launched its first pilot in Ondo State, but faced challenges such as low awareness of emergency response services, building a reliable first responder network, and insufficient ambulance infrastructure.

The team trained 10 first responders and onboarded 5 hospitals onto the platform. However, they soon realized that achieving a 911-style system without ambulance support was not feasible for a startup. The founders decided to pivot and focus on partnerships with private hospitals, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), governments, emergency agencies, NGOs, and community organizations.

Today, Medwaka has grown to a team of 20, trained 11 first responders, and facilitated over 550 emergency requests through its platform and partner network. The company's ambition remains the same as when they first started, aiming to revolutionize emergency response in Africa.