VIEBEG: A HEALTH TECH FIRM'S PASSION FOR BETTER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN AFRICA

Healthcare is of utmost importance worldwide especially in low-income Africa where the challenge of quality, accessibility and affordability is still being faced but an harmonious well-functioning health system is dependent on trained and motivated health providers, well-maintained infrastructure, and reliable supply of medicines and technologies which is what the Viebeg Medical firm has tried and is still trying to ensure across various hospitals in Africa for close to 5  years now.

About Viebeg Technologies

Viebeg Technologies is an African health tech firm responsible for the provision of high-quality medical supplies and equipment in Africa through an innovative procurement platform. It incorporates the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) driven procurement system referred to as 'VieProcure' to de-risk and augment every aspect of the supply chain in hard-to-serve markets thus, allowing healthcare providers to purchase medical consumables and equipment automatically, transparently, and efficiently. 

VieProcure, the AI-powered Inventory Management and Procurement System for hospitals was built to ensure the consistent availability and accessibility of medical products, and to anticipate shocks of any kind ranging from climate events to civil unrest for the optimum timely delivery of live-saving health products in challenging environments. VieProcure also comprises a data-driven logistics platform which ensures health care facilities receive the accurate type and quantities of medical supplies in stock for the proper treatment of her patients. The AI-driven platform is capable of connecting healthcare providers directly with manufacturers rather than brokers and middlemen present in the supply chain thus, reducing cost by 40 percent for its consumers.

Founders of Viebeg Technologies

Viebeg Technologies was launched in 2018 by Tobias Reiter, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who has had previous experience building AI-driven platforms, and Alex Musyoka, the Chief Commercial Officer who has sales and operations experience through senior roles at East Africa’s largest medical supply companies. The AI enthusiastic and entrepreneurial spirit exhibited by Alex and Tobias birthed the company in that they saw the immense potential of technology in solving the tragic problem of shortage of quality timely medical supply in Africa and its consequence of massive yearly casualties.

Viebeg Technologies mission 

Viebeg has established a commercial presence in some countries in East Africa such as Kenya, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, thereby, serving above 500 consumers since its launch in 2018. Its ultimate goal is the expansion of the services to regions throughout Africa in general which was motivated by issues in Central and East Africa, where healthcare systems and providers struggle to purchase and retain vital medical equipment and supplies in stock. The health-tech company is currently serving more than 1,000 hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and healthcare professionals in Rwanda, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Viebeg's current state 

Viebeg has successfully secured funding from reputable venture capital firms such as Beyond Capital Ventures, Global Ventures, Angaza Capital, Founders Factory Africa, Norrsken, and others in the past, therefore, amounting to over $2.5 million. Most recent investment sometime last year from Johnson & Johnson Impact Ventures, an impact fund under the Johnson & Johnson Foundation, and Sanofi Global Health Unit Impact Fund is expected to propel Viebeg Medical to greater heights in its mission to enhance healthcare accessibility in the region of Central and East Africa. Johnson & Johnson Impact Ventures Investments Director, David Higgins, professed that their company is excited to support and grow the vital work of Viebeg via strengthening the ability of health systems to provide care to their consumers.

Conclusion 

Tobias Reiter and Alex Musyoka founded a company that incorporated Artificial Intelligence into their healthcare offerings, addressing a pressing issue in African communities. While it's easy to overlook the significance and impact of technology in various African industries, particularly healthcare, it's crucial to recognize the potential of innovation to overcome challenges and improve the lives of millions of people.

AIPI GRADUATES 3RD BATCH OF STUDENTS FROM ITS UPSKILLING PROGRAM.

Tech UpSkill, an initiative that focuses on building the next generation of global talents, enhancing gender equality, and providing job opportunities, just graduated its 3rd batch. This training program was brought by Access to International Partnerships in IT (AIPI) in partnership with an association consisting of 250 start-up firms, kLab, and FabLab. The program's major goal is to close the skill gap by providing training, experience, and mentorship across Rwanda for the youths that desire to refine their technical skills.

THE 3RD COHORT GRADUATION AND AWARDS CEREMONY

This recently graduated batch included 88 individuals who are either secondary or university students who got certificates following the training program, which lasted for 4 months in software and hardware development. They demonstrated practical skills by working on projects in both aspects. These projects were showcased at the award ceremony, and a panel of professionals was set up to examine the projects that stood out and deserved to be rewarded.

For the Hardware category, the top three winners included a Plastic Recycling 3D Printer - a machine that was produced to recycle waste plastics into filament, a Clean robot made for cleaning smooth surfaces with future plans to be enhanced so it can remove waste in water bodies, and a Charcoal Briquetting machine and briquettes production which produces cooking energy-saving briquettes from public waste.

Meanwhile, in the software category; Eco-learn built to offer front and backend web-based interfaces that educate those in Rwanda about the environment, SP Gaz, a platform to order for gas online, and Farmie that helps connect farmers to markets were the 3 projects that won respectively.

During the training, the students were provided with an area and tools for the course. They also had all the materials and needed resources made available to them to ensure they could grow and make an impact in the tech industry locally and internationally.

The CEO of the Rwanda ICT Chambers, Alex Ntale, presided over the graduation ceremony and stated that the chamber is working with the government to explore all avenues and partnerships to improve youth ICT skills in order to further the nation’s goal of becoming a tech hub.

TECH UPSKILL'S IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY

Data from the training program showed that only 22% of the individuals who participated in the 3rd cohort were females. This depicts that women are underrepresented in the tech ecosystem. The program aims to solve this gender gap by equipping women with whatever is needed to grow a tech career. This is not only done to increase gender equality but also ensure Rwanda’s talent pool is maximized to its full potential.

This program played a part in providing solutions to unemployment by creating over 400 job opportunities. Tech UpSkill is passionate about contributing to the economy. An electronic and telecommunication student at IPRC Tumba, Nadine Manishimwe, and a developer from the Plastic Recycling 3D Printer group say that boldness to experiment with practical skills is necessary to support females in STEM and that the training helped her when it came to improving the skills she learned. It also assisted her in creating new business ideas that can be a source of income.

A former student of INES Ruhengeri (Industrial IT), in the briquetting group, Cyriacca Urwibutso stated that in order to increase the number of women in the Technology industry, there is a need to push young girls to trust in themselves and face any fear that prevents them from going into careers dominated by males.

The Tech UpSkill has had an impact on young tech developers, according to Dr. Geraldine Schmitz, the AIPI Project Director, and preparations are in place to seek additional financing to maintain the field of tech advancements.

ACCESS TO INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS IN IT (AIPI) AND RWANDA ICT CHAMBERS

Access to International Partnerships in IT (AIPI) is built on an alliance between the ICT Chambers in Rwanda and Bundesverband IT-Mittelstand e. V. (BITMi), an IT firm based in Germany. AIPI was founded to improve the ICT sector in Rwanda and Germany by implementing diverse initiatives that facilitate cooperation and growth in both countries' technology ecosystems.

Rwanda ICT Chambers is an organisation that is focused on assisting its members with the development of skills, advocacy, financing, and access to the market all in the Rwanda ICT sector. The firm plans to make Rwanda the top community influenced by information and community technology (ICT) and be at the forefront of this economic and cultural transformation.

CONCLUSION

The Tech UpSkill training has gotten praise from individuals with influence due to its frequent efforts to ensure opportunities and skills development courses, both technical and entrepreneurial, for the youths. The program has had success, which is displayed by positive impact, achievements, and reviews gotten from those who were beneficiaries of the program.