Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria has launched a new pilot initiative utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve healthcare access for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), a group that faces significant systemic barriers to medical care.
The “Access to Health Initiative for PWDs” was unveiled in Abuja, centred around the Koyo Navigate App, which is designed to provide quality, affordable, and inclusive medical services. The pilot phase will benefit 350 individuals, including 250 women with disabilities and 100 persons with albinism, a group requiring critical specialist dermatology services.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, represented at the event, stated that the initiative is a “life-changing pathway to dignity, independence and improved wellbeing,” aligning with Nigeria’s commitment to uphold the rights of its over 25 million PWDs. The Koyo App will offer beneficiaries doctor-supervised virtual consultations, AI-driven health guidance, and accessibility features tailored for various impairments.
The Founder of The Albino Foundation Africa, Jake Epelle, welcomed the move as a rare opportunity for PWDs to access skilled practitioners.
The CEO of Koyo HealthTech, Dr. Thomas Cracknell, noted that the two-month pilot would focus on learning from users’ lived experiences to ensure the platform is robust, safe, and medically sound before the planned scale-up.
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