Transforming Healthcare Access in Kenya: How Checkups Cova Is Making Healthcare Affordable Across Kenya Through AI and Microloans

What is your Major Challenge, since that is really the Pain Point?

Dr. Moka Lantum: As mentioned previously, our opportunity was to pivot from a direct-to-consumer model to an enterprise strategy. By enterprise strategy, we are not merely stating that we are partnering with banks; we are working to understand, at a very granular level, the specific problem we are solving for banks and the opportunity we are creating for them by solving that problem.

It would be fair to say that this has been a major focus. When working with enterprise partners, nothing progresses quickly—it is a slow process. Thanks to the excellent work Rene is doing, we have been able to move those conversations forward. We are now preparing to go to market and go live with our first bank partner.

Given your role in media, we are holding back on sharing specific details for now. However, we hope to invite you to be part of the launch ceremony, where we will publicly announce our first bank partnership. This partnership is intended to disrupt healthcare financing at scale. There is still some work to be done, but we aim to make this announcement significant in order to build trust in the market.

In response to the question of what we have been working on—this has been the core of our activity.

Strategically, over the past year, many of us were merely thinking about artificial intelligence, but now we are all deeply involved in it. It is transforming the market at an unprecedented pace. This brings both excitement and pressure, as it renders many of our current technology systems obsolete. A great deal of effort must now go into designing systems built for an AI-driven world.

To use an analogy: if the main form of transportation was previously a train, we are now moving into the Boeing 747 era. The challenge is in transitioning the organisation from train-speed operations to the pace of a Boeing—or even a Concorde. Costs are shifting from human resource-based operations to cloud-based agents. This has significant implications for our financial model. It also affects our distribution strategy, which has traditionally been heavily dependent on people.

We are now reviewing our current financial model to determine what can be saved in distribution through the use of new tools and technologies.

In summary, the past year has been one we did not predict. However, in a positive way, it has compelled us to rethink future technologies so that we are not left behind. We have successfully secured our first enterprise-level engagement and are now working to transform our backend into a highly efficient, scalable platform. This will enable us to attract—or at least compete for—the limited capital available in a constrained venture capital market.

How is AI Influencing Healthcare Financing, and what Opportunities or Trends has it created for your Business?

Dr. Moka Lantum: I would not claim to be an expert, but I tend to approach problems of this nature by considering what the market is demanding. How quickly should one be able to respond to opportunities? What are the expectations of customers in the current AI-driven landscape? What are their concerns? What opportunities must we create to unlock greater value for them?

From a customer perspective, the demand for precision in information has become more acute than ever. For example, if someone experiences a headache, they can now consult an AI tool to receive an answer instantly. There is no longer value in reaching out to another person for that information, as the same AI tool will generate the response.

This prompts a fundamental question: what is our role within the healthcare service ecosystem? Once that question is raised, it leads to further considerations around how money now moves in this new environment. Where does value creation occur for transactions to happen?

To draw a parallel with the media industry—today, anyone can write an article, start a podcast, or create a platform. So the key question becomes: where does an organisation such as Marcopolis provide value in a way that customers are willing to pay for? If the offering is simply writing and publishing, that can now be done by anyone. We are applying the same kind of analysis to our situation.

From our perspective, we are well-positioned. We have always maintained a direct relationship with customers, understanding that medicine often requires physical interventions—taking a tablet or drawing blood—which cannot be replaced by AI. However, the speed and efficiency AI offers has significant implications for cost. Ideally, AI should reduce the cost of service and increase productivity per capita.

Our task, therefore, is to restructure the business to increase productivity, improve accuracy, and reduce cost. Fortunately, this aligns with the core of our business plan. In that sense, it feels as though we have the wind in our sails, accelerating our journey within this ecosystem.

The second point is that regardless of the sector, everything ultimately revolves around money—how quickly it moves. Previously, the internet raised questions such as: Can someone find your business or view your website? Today, the question is not about visibility; it is about how fast someone can pay and receive the service.

This calls for agility in facilitating payments. In concrete terms, our innovation lies in helping individuals without immediate funds to access healthcare. Our technology must accelerate access to microloans from financial institutions with minimal user input. The systems in place often already provide us with 90% of the required information—such as identity, location, and contact details.

The traditional processes of completing forms or providing basic information are now obsolete. In advanced agentic AI environments, the system already knows the user’s preferences, location, travel schedules, and more. It can book appointments without human involvement.

The real opportunity lies in the speed at which payments can be processed—this is our “moonshot.” From a strategic perspective, we are well positioned as a healthcare financing entity. Our model can lower costs, accelerate payments through AI enablement, and improve service quality in line with evolving customer expectations.

By contrast, hospitals may face greater challenges. Reducing costs in such institutions is difficult due to physical infrastructure and staffing requirements. While efficiency may improve, overheads remain fixed, which may result in financial strain as patient volumes decline. We are not burdened by those limitations, and strategically, I like where we are.

Your Hybrid Model Combines Physical Clinics with Digital Solutions. How Successful Has It Been, And How Are You Deepening Your Presence Across Kenya and East Africa Despite People Still Preferring In-Person Care?

Renee Ngama: Several factors have contributed to the model’s attractiveness. Firstly, a significant pain point for clients—which you may have experienced yourself—is the amount of time spent waiting at clinics. Typically, there is at least a two-hour wait between triage, seeing the doctor, undergoing laboratory tests (if required), and then receiving medication.

Our proposition is simple: make a call, speak to a doctor, and we will come to you. This saves customers the time and resources involved in travelling to a clinic. It also reduces the burden of accompanying a loved one to a clinic, which is a common scenario.

Additionally, it provides the privacy and comfort of receiving care at home. For employers, it means that employees do not need to leave work for outpatient healthcare services, which can instead be delivered at home or at the workplace. For statutory tests, we collect samples directly from the place of work, eliminating the need to send employees to third-party testing centres, which can disrupt productivity and production lines. Contrary to expectations, this model has not only benefited high-income clients such as bankers or time-constrained professionals—it has also proven valuable across all income levels. For instance, small business owners understand that closing their kiosks to visit a clinic results in a full day of lost income. Today, time is as valuable as oxygen. People are not willing to spend it unless necessary.

A second observation is related to behaviour. In the past, individuals would search symptoms on platforms like Google, self-diagnose, and self-prescribe. This often delayed effective treatment and led to poorer health outcomes. What we are now seeing is that customers are seeking care earlier, accessing better quality services, and achieving improved health outcomes. Both uptake and results have improved significantly due to this model.

Thirdly, cost remains a critical factor. Everyone today is price-sensitive. When individuals must pay for reception services, parking, and additional overheads, it affects their willingness to seek care. Our model offers a more streamlined and affordable solution, and this makes a significant difference to customers.

We have seen adoption not only in urban areas, but also in rural communities, among diaspora populations arranging care for their families at home, and among those in remote locations who do not want to travel. Farmers, small-scale traders—many demographics are benefiting from this model.

In essence, we are also working to make healthcare affordable. Healthcare is generally considered expensive, but our model aims to reduce costs in underserved regions.

Could you Share Examples of Markets or Locations you have expanded into recently?

Renee Ngamau: We are currently very active in 23 counties in Kenya. Our operations extend from Lamu to Kwale—including Lamu, Kilifi, Malindi, Mombasa, and Kwale—through to Taita Taveta, and up the Mombasa road to Nairobi. We have served clients in Kitui, Machakos, Athi River, and the Kitengela area, where one of our clinics is located. Nairobi and Kajiado are also covered.

In the central region, we are active in Kiambu, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Tharaka Nithi, Meru, and Embu. Along the highway, we operate in Nakuru, Baringo, Nyandarua, and Eldama Ravine (which is within Baringo), extending to Eldoret in Uasin Gishu County. We are also present in Kisii, Bungoma, Busia, Kisumu, and Homa Bay, among others.

Due to the nature of our model, once we can activate at least ten new customers in a given area, we are able to establish a local presence. We hire locally, which allows us to create employment opportunities for young people within their counties of origin, helping them grow their careers without needing to relocate.

In Juba, we have also continued to grow our proposition—particularly in partnership with the bank—and we plan to replicate this model of expansion there as well.

Over the period, have there been any partnerships with Public, Government, Non-Governmental, or Private Agencies to support the business’s growth?

Renee Ngamau: To provide some context, there are 47 counties in Kenya, many of which are extremely remote. The most far-flung location we have reached is the north-western frontier of Kenya, in a county called Turkana. It is considered very remote by many standards—but not for us. We have been able to serve customers there using our mobile clinic.

In terms of partnerships, there have been several strategic collaborations. The most significant are with banks and microfinance institutions. When we first spoke—as Dr. Mocha just alluded to—we were focused primarily on direct-to-customer engagement. We are now in the marketing phase with one of our banking partners and have two more in the pipeline.

In addition, we have partnered with our first microfinance institution and have three more partnerships in development. These represent substantial growth opportunities, not only for our business but also for the wider ecosystem. These collaborations help reach 97% of the population who are either uninsured or uninsurable in this country—a situation that is mirrored across much of Africa.

Furthermore, we have expanded our engagement with suppliers and are now entering a new phase of fundraising. We previously discussed this with you, Jacques, and I should refer back to my notes for more detail—please pardon me.

We have also initiated a strategic partnership with one of the counties along the coast. The aim is to support the county in delivering healthcare services, particularly for patients with chronic diseases. This presents a valuable opportunity—not only for regular check-ups but also in alignment with the new Social Health Insurance Fund framework—allowing delivery of healthcare through collaboration with private institutions.

Currently, no country in Africa has managed to provide universal healthcare without falling into a significant deficit—including Rwanda, which is often cited as a benchmark. This underscores the importance of public-private partnerships, both for governments and institutions like ours.

In the Digital Space, especially within the Healthcare sector, competition is intense. What is your Unique Selling Proposition, and what sets you apart?

Renee Ngamau: We are not a digital health company. I want to emphasise that point—we are not a digital health company.

In Kenya, in order to manage the value proposition, we control the entire value chain. This was a deliberate decision to determine whether it is indeed possible to deliver healthcare services at up to 75% less than the cost incurred through insurance.

We recognise that in other jurisdictions—as we expand beyond the borders of +254, as we refer to Kenya—we will operate with third parties through smart contracts. This will be structured almost like a franchising model, ensuring that the same standards of care, speed, and turnaround time are upheld, without us needing to build physical infrastructure in those markets.

Our true identity—and where our core value proposition lies—is in medical credit. Based on our experience in Kenya, access to healthcare is not always about proximity or the quality of the clinic. Even if a high-quality facility is next door, the inability to pay still prevents access. The issue, therefore, is not transportation or location—it is financial.

In many cases, healthcare access is fundamentally a financial issue rather than a network coverage issue. While remote areas may indeed face network and infrastructure challenges, our model addresses this by removing the need for patients to travel—we go to them.

This approach also reduces our environmental footprint. Instead of 100 individuals travelling to one central location and returning, one healthcare professional can travel to multiple locations, significantly minimising emissions and environmental impact.

These are the core areas we are leveraging to maintain our competitive edge.

Are there any Activities or Projects you are Currently Undertaking?

Dr. Moka Lantum: I will return to my earlier comments. When working with an enterprise partner, it is like managing an oil well—you must drill deeply. You do not want distractions. The primary focus at present is to extract and create as much value as possible from one enterprise partner. This effort is expected to generate momentum. If we succeed in this, it is likely that others will approach us, looking to learn from or partner with us. That is the key focus at this stage.

The second area, as mentioned earlier, involves restructuring our technology strategy due to evolving market dynamics. In a recent meeting, we discussed the example of Jack’s doctor potentially being in China. There is nothing stopping that scenario from occurring today. The doctor can simply do what is required, regardless of location. The only outstanding question is how Jack would pay that doctor—and whether it is more favourable than paying his doctor in Marseille. That is the reality we are dealing with.

As a result, we must reconfigure our technology, recognising that our market includes both local clients and those in the diaspora. Many families depend on relatives abroad to finance healthcare. Therefore, we must build a technology layer that enables seamless cross-border payments—allowing someone abroad to pay for healthcare benefits for their loved ones at home with ease and control. There is considerable work to be done on the technology side.

I would also say that if there has ever been a time when private equity could catalyse change in this industry, it is now. If implemented correctly, a business could grow exponentially—one thousand-fold—in three months. If not, it could disappear in the same timeframe.

We are operating in a market that presents two outcomes: either super-scale or rapid decline, like a raisin in the sun. Our goal is not merely to survive, but to scale significantly—because mere survival is not a viable option.That is the focus.

You mentioned Private Equity earlier. As you aim to scale, do you need Investors to grow the Business, especially given your focus on building a Strong Technology Backbone?

Dr. Moka Lantum: It comes down to the type of fuel required to operate a vehicle. If one is riding a bicycle, there is no need for fuel—just muscle energy. You eat cocoa, yams, bread, and you can keep moving. However, if you are driving a car, you require hydrocarbons. If you are flying a jet, you need jet fuel.

The challenge we have seen in the market is that many are trying to use jet fuel to ride a bicycle. What the system is saying is that you either have a rocket or you cannot move forward. Using that analogy, the question becomes: what kind of technology backbone is required to ensure that the opportunity at hand scales like a jet? One must design that jet like a rocket ship, knowing that it will cost significantly more to simply protect the vessel compared to a bicycle, where one only needs a helmet and perhaps some clips.

The design thinking, urgency, and capital requirements all go hand in hand. Currently, technology companies that are driving fundamental transformations across various verticals are attracting large amounts of capital and unlocking significant growth—whether in agri-tech, climate tech, manufacturing, or robotics. If you are driving the train using these innovations, you are commanding investment.

Our focus is on positioning ourselves within that space. The question, therefore, is not simply whether we need private equity, but rather how we align the type of capital with the objective. If we have the mindset that we are riding a bicycle, then operational cash flow might suffice. But if we are building and flying a rocket, we need to do significantly more.

Unlocking private equity now requires addressing a different ecosystem altogether. Trust in the African market remains limited due to structural issues that have not yet been resolved—such as customer acquisition costs and channel strategies. In more developed markets, companies move much faster because these structural barriers do not exist.

There is a lot of work to be done. The key question is: what kinds of partnerships are required to break down those barriers? This brings us back to the importance of an enterprise partner. An enterprise partner offers market access, a channel strategy, customer access, and financing at the lowest cost of credit. It also builds trust through association with reputable banking partners.

This is our focus. If we can bring together trust, the right financing, and fully leverage the customer channels that banks provide, we should see a strong performance in the market. It ought to be a rewarding and successful time ahead.

When do you anticipate having some Good Fun Ahead?

Dr. Moka Lantum: I would like to emphasise that with the rise of artificial intelligence and the shifts in the market, it is no longer a passing trend. It is now calling on us, as entrepreneurs and venture leaders, to truly focus on the problem we are solving. The pain point must be acute in order to attract funding.

If the problem is not painful—like a shoe that is too tight—then there will be no traction. The funding and momentum will not come. There may be many ideas, but they will not move forward. We must have the discipline to focus clearly on the core pain point in the market.

If we manage to do that, then we will spend less to solve the problem, and more people will be drawn to us because we are solving it in the most effective way possible.

With that mindset, we will not be operating on a scattergun approach. Instead, we will be fishing with precision—like using a flying hook—and we will catch the big fish.

Are Banks and Financial Institutions at risk of Losing Out to Cmpetitors like SAFARICOM due to Slower Service Delivery?

Dr. Moka Lantum : The pain point for the bank is twofold. On the simpler side, it is about how much additional revenue they can generate from existing customers by offering a pathway where every account can move $500 over a six-month period, and they earn 15% interest on that $500.

Where the pain point becomes more serious is that, currently, telecommunications companies are moving more credit in this space than banks. If banks do not respond quickly, the interest income from Safaricom could surpass that of all the banks combined within a year.

This is why the pain point must be acute. The telcos are advancing rapidly in the credit space. They can move money faster and are losing less per transaction. Banks must react.

Another pain point for banks is understanding the healthcare customer. This is not the typical customer profile. We need to help banks identify which healthcare customers can repay. That is a real pain point because creditworthiness during illness is still unknown. Creditworthiness is often assessed through salaries and steady cash flow, but not when someone is bedridden and needs medication.

There is significant work to be done to unlock these pain points for customers. If we can help banks move money currently being lost—because deposits are transferred to M-PESA, and customers then pay interest on microloans—we can create real value. That is a massive financial leakage. Safaricom is currently controlling trillions of shillings that used to sit in banks. While deposits may still be held by banks, the mobility and interest returns are no longer enjoyed by the banking sector.

Are you telling the Banks they must Adopt your Solution Quickly before SAFARICOM does?

Dr. Moka Lantum : For now, we have not decided to go in that direction, although it remains a nuclear option. We believe that the banks are the right partners for this journey. Sometimes, it is important to stay the course.

Banks bring trust. They offer credibility, and the distribution model works well through their branches. There are certain incentives, beyond just cash, that I believe banks provide—more so than the telecommunications companies.