(A column highlighting scientific, technological, engineering, and design innovation in Africa)
In 2012, 25-year-old medical doctor Mazin Mohammed Khalil created Sudan’s first and only online directory of providers and suppliers to the medical care industry—from professionals, hospitals, clinics, dental practices, and medical labs, centers and schools, to pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and even medical regulatory bodies—along with their location and hours of service.
Those listed pay to post additional information, such as contact information and details of products and services offered.
The Sudan Medical Directory effectively puts Sudan’s entire healthcare sector on the web, making it accessible via computer or mobile phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The idea for it was formed shortly after Dr. Khalil witnessed the dilemma of a father who had rushed his newborn child to a hospital more than 30 miles away, only to be told that the clinic he needed was closed.
Dr. Khalil, who also holds masters degrees in business administration and medical informatics, is the founder and CEO of SudaMed Co. Ltd., the company in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, which publishes the directory. Since the directory, the company has created the SudaMed Wafir Card, which gives a discount of up to 50 percent on services at SudaMed-registered clinics to patients who pay in cash and on the spot. The card costs $30 for a one-year subscription.
Other SudaMed products include the MediTab, an e-book reader for medical students to access textbooks and other research material online. MediTab comes with free Internet service for one year. There’s also the SudaMed Doctor Interface, a web-based patient record system that is cheaper than existing clinic management systems.
In addition to the directory, discount card, e-book reader and patient record software, SudaMed offers a range of medical services that includes training in CPR and basic First Aid skills and preventive medical checkups. The company invests 70 percent of its profits in charitable work. It built, funds and operates a free health center and a primary school in poverty-stricken areas of Khartoum, and launched an empowerment program to mentor, train and fund young entrepreneurs.
SudaMed is now looking for funding to expand to Ethiopia and Kenya, and throughout the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region where healthcare revenues have gone up 150 percent in teh last five years.
With more than 2,000 registered healthcare providers in Sudan after just two years in business, and revenues of $500,000 in 2013, SudaMed took the $50,000 first prize at the 2014 MIT Pan Arab Startup Competition. It won the King Abdullah Award for Youth Innovation and Achievement (Jordan) and Social Entrepreneurs of the Year Award (Germany).
Dr. Khalil is the recipient of a Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative launched in 2010 by U.S. President Barack Obama.
