Cameroon - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Our USSD Health Project aims to provide essential health information and symptom checkers to rural areas. Utilizing USSD technology, villagers can access medical advice and information without the need for internet or smartphones.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Via USSD, users interact with a simple, menu-driven system to receive real-time health tips, symptom analysis, and medical advice. Powered by AI, the system includes advanced features like predictive prevention and identification of high-risk areas using health data analytics. The project enhances health literacy and offers targeted support for prenatal care, chronic disease management, and infant care. This ensures early diagnosis and appropriate care, reducing unnecessary travel to distant health facilities. Our innovative approach aims to improve health outcomes and quality of life in underserved regions, ensuring everyone has access to critical health information, regardless of location or technological resources. Data will be used to guide NGO's and Public health officials in identifying potential health outbreaks before they happen. By combining the wide reach of USSD with advanced AI analytics, this project offers a cost-effective, scalable, and innovative healthcare.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

The main issue our USSD Health Project aims to solve is the lack of accessible and reliable healthcare information and services in rural communities. Many people in these areas do not have access to the internet or smartphones, which limits their ability to obtain crucial health information and medical advice. This gap often leads to delayed diagnosis, inadequate disease management, and poor health outcomes. By leveraging USSD technology and a medically fine-tuned AI model, our project provides essential health tips, symptom checkers, and predictive prevention directly to basic mobile phones. This ensures that even those in the most underserved regions can receive timely and accurate health support, improving overall health literacy, early diagnosis, and the quality of care.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

Accessibility and Inclusivity: By leveraging USSD technology, our service is accessible to anyone with a basic mobile phone, This ensures that even the most remote and underserved communities can access critical health information and services, bridging the healthcare gap and promoting health equity. 24/7 Real-Time Health Support: The AI-powered system provides health tips, symptom analysis, and medical advice around the clock, allowing users to make informed health decisions at any time. This constant availability of reliable health information aids in early diagnosis, better disease management, and timely interventions, reducing the need for unnecessary travel to distant health facilities. Enhanced Public Health Policy and Surveillance: By using health data analytics to identify high-risk areas and predict potential health issues. Panther AI supports public health officials by providing valuable insight for proactive health management, outbreak prevention, and resource allocation.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Our USSD Health Project serves rural communities, targeting individuals in underserved and remote areas who lack access to reliable healthcare information and services. The primary beneficiaries include: Rural Villagers: People in rural areas with limited healthcare access, relying on basic mobile phones and lacking internet connectivity. Women and Children: Focus on prenatal care, infant care, and chronic disease management, ensuring pregnant women, new mothers, and children receive timely and accurate health information and support. Elderly and Chronically Ill: Individuals with chronic diseases or requiring ongoing medical attention benefit from real-time health tips, symptom checkers, and medical advice to manage their conditions effectively. Public Health Officials and Policymakers: By providing valuable health data and predictive analytics.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-05-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

2

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

Asaah Ndangoh: Skilled Data Engineer with 10 years of experience in data analysis, management, and engineering. His technical proficiency in handling complex data systems ensures the seamless operation of our AI-powered USSD health platform. His expertise is crucial for developing predictive models and providing valuable health insights. Stanley Ngole: seasoned Business Developer and coach with over 8 years of experience in business development, strategy, and coaching. His role involves identifying growth opportunities, formulating strategic plans, and providing guidance.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

http://www.pantherai.io

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

f) Healthcare (healthcare equipment and services)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

3

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

The primary focus of our project is to provide accessible healthcare information and services to rural and underserved communities. By offering real-time health tips, symptom checkers, and medical advice, the project directly improves health literacy, early diagnosis, and management of diseases, thereby enhancing overall health and well-being.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

5

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

By providing health literacy and education through USSD technology, the project indirectly supports quality education. Users learn about health, disease prevention, and management, which are essential components of a well-rounded education, particularly in rural areas where access to health education is limited.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

5

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

The project targets women, especially in areas of prenatal and infant care, providing them with crucial health information and support. This empowerment through health education contributes to gender equality by improving women's health outcomes and enabling them to make informed decisions about their health.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

5

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

Panther provides information on the importance of clean water and sanitation in its health tips, contributing to better hygiene practices and preventing waterborne diseases. While the primary focus is on health, promoting clean water and sanitation practices has a significant impact on community health.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

4

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

5

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

The innovative use of USSD technology and AI in delivering healthcare services exemplifies how technology can be harnessed to address infrastructure gaps in rural healthcare. This promotes innovation and demonstrates the potential for technological solutions to enhance healthcare delivery.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

2

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

2

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

2

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

2

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

2

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

3

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

3

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

5

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

4

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

6

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

6

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

3

05.08 Justification

Implementing a USSD-based medical diagnosis and support service with AI-driven recommendations for vulnerable groups is a unique and innovative approach to addressing healthcare disparities. This method leverages the ubiquity and accessibility of USSD technology, which works on any mobile phone, including basic models prevalent in remote and underserved areas. Unlike traditional healthcare delivery methods that rely heavily on physical infrastructure and internet connectivity, This unique fusion of USSD and AI offers a groundbreaking way to deliver essential healthcare services, making it possible to provide real-time medical support and improve health outcomes for vulnerable groups globally. Moreover, this service can be tailored to the specific needs of each group, providing targeted healthcare information. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery in remote and underserved communities, ensuring no one is left behind.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

My main competitors are GiftedMom and Waspito. GiftedMom delivers advice to pregnant women using SMS, focusing on maternal health education and reminders. Waspito is a telemedicine app that relies on internet connectivity to provide virtual consultations and health services. I stand out by leveraging USSD technology, which works on any mobile phone, including basic models, and does not require internet connectivity. This makes my service accessible to a wider audience, particularly in remote and underserved areas where internet access is limited or nonexistent. Additionally, by integrating AI-driven recommendations into my USSD platform, I provide personalized and accurate medical guidance based on user inputs, ensuring timely and relevant support for various vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

I am actively supporting female entrepreneurs by running a free data analytics and programming evening class at St. Louis University. This initiative is specifically designed for youth, with a particular emphasis on females who have never learned tech before. My goal is to empower these young women with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the tech industry. By providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment, I aim to bridge the gender gap in technology and foster a new generation of female entrepreneurs. The class covers essential topics in data analytics and programming, equipping students with practical skills that are highly valued in today's job market. Through hands-on projects, collaborative learning, and mentorship, I strive to inspire confidence and ignite a passion for technology among these aspiring female entrepreneurs. By investing in their education and professional development, I hope to contribute to a more diverse and equitable tech ecosystem.