Ethiopian nurse builds healthcare platform solving medication search delays, eyes Africa expansion

Beamlak Alemayehu, an Ethiopian nurse, founded Medanit in 2022 after watching patients die while searching for medication in hospital emergency wards. She found 80-90% of clinics still used paper records, forcing her to build electronic medical records, pharmacy logistics, and a call center for those without smartphones.

Today, Medanit serves 527 doctors and 1.2 million visitors, with Bayer Foundation funding supporting expansion into Rwanda and Zambia by 2027. The platform offers doctor appointments, telemedicine, medication delivery, and digital systems for healthcare facilities - addressing both patient access and provider infrastructure needs.

For Nigerians facing similar healthcare fragmentation, Medanit shows that solving access requires building full-stack solutions, not just apps. Its call center model ensures rural mothers and farmers aren't left behind in the digital shift.

With Ethiopia targeting 3-4 million underserved people next year and 100 million long-term, the approach offers lessons for Nigeria's healthcare challenges: integrate patient services with provider systems, serve low-tech users via call centers, and build sustainable models through facility software sales and service fees.

Will Nigeria's health tech innovators adopt this comprehensive approach to finally connect patients with timely care?

SOURCE: https://techcabal.com/2026/10/17/how-medanit-was-built/