Artificial Intelligence Doctors Aiming for Pan-African Triage role, demonstrated by Roddiyyat Taiwo's AI
OpenHealth, an innovative Nigerian healthtech startup, is making waves in the African digital health sector. Co-founded by Roddiyyat Taiwo, a medical student and data scientist, the AI-powered digital triage and symptom-checking platform is addressing the significant healthcare access challenges faced across the continent [1].
The idea for OpenHealth was born out of Taiwo's personal experience with skin issues during her undergraduate days. Frustrated by the lack of a simple, personalized tool to guide people through basic symptoms, she saw an opportunity to revolutionize healthcare access in Africa [2].
As of early July 2025, OpenHealth has gained recognition in the African startup ecosystem, being included in the YASR30 list of promising early-stage African startups for 2025. This accolade highlights the startup's potential and progress in the digital health space [5]. While details on deployment scale or user metrics are not readily available, this recognition suggests growing traction and validation within the region.
OpenHealth operates on revenue generated from pilot tests and a modest $1,000 grant, with over 1,000 people on its minimum viable product (MVP) waitlist [3]. The startup has partnered with Nigerian healthcare company mDaaS Global to integrate its application programming interface (API) into Beacon Health, a telemedicine service operated by mDaaS, in a three-month paid pilot [4].
Despite the regulatory complexities of scaling digital health across Africa, with different countries having varied data laws, infrastructure readiness, and patient behaviours [6], Taiwo remains optimistic. She sees Rwanda as the most receptive and dynamic country for OpenHealth's expansion due to its embrace of digital health frameworks and clear protocols around AI use in healthcare [7].
Taiwo acknowledges that monthly expenses at OpenHealth exceed $150, accounting for credit payments to OpenAI, retraining models, and other staff overhead costs [8]. However, she sees strength in the startup's nimbleness and ability to move fast [9]. She also emphasizes the need to educate more Africans about preventive healthcare rather than being reactive [10].
OpenHealth remains central for Taiwo and her co-founder, regardless of their individual paths [11]. They have allocated 10% of OpenHealth's stock to early employees and 10% to members of its advisory board [12]. Taiwo believes that venture capital might take a while to come, so she's compensating by getting advisory experience on her team [13].
Taiwo currently works as a business analyst for Cedar Crest, one of Abuja's largest hospital chains [14]. Despite feeling way out of her depth at times, she is focused on keeping operations at OpenHealth above board and ensuring the team's enthusiasm doesn't fade [15].
With its AI-powered digital triage and symptom-checking tool, OpenHealth is positioned to enhance preventive healthcare in Africa. Its leadership and innovative approach have positioned it as a notable startup contributing to solving healthcare access issues on the continent [1][5].
- Roddiyyat Taiwo, the medical student and data scientist co-founder of OpenHealth, envisions AI and technology transforming the healthcare landscape across Africa.
- The venture capital potential for OpenHealth is under consideration, as Taiwo is focusing on gaining advisory experience to prepare for future funding.
- The innovative healthtech startup OpenHealth uses its initial revenue from pilot tests and a small grant to fund its operations, with a growing MVP waitlist.
- Collaborating with mDaaS Global, a Nigerian healthcare company, has provided OpenHealth with a three-month paid pilot through the integration of its API into Beacon Health, mDaaS's telemedicine service.
- As OpenHealth expands, Rwanda presents a promising market due to its proactive digital health framework and clear guidelines around AI use in healthcare.
- With increasing costs for credit payments to OpenAI, model retraining, and staff overhead, Taiwo aims to maintain the startup's agility and momentum.
- OpenHealth is dedicated to educating more Africans about preventive healthcare, offering a solution to the continent's healthcare access challenges.
- Taiwo, working as a business analyst for Cedar Crest Hospital in Abuja, prioritizes maintaining integrity within the startup and keeping team morale high while navigating the complexities of digital health scaling in Africa.
