CheckUps - Revolutionising Healthcare Access and Job Creation in Kenya

CheckUps – Revolutionising Healthcare Access and Job Creation in Kenya

CheckUps, an urgent care service offering both online and in-person medical dispatch, is transforming Kenya’s healthcare sector. By providing affordable healthcare for underserved Kenyans through an innovative financing model and a network of young nurses, CheckUps is addressing two critical challenges: limited healthcare access and high underemployment among medical professionals.

“The need for healthcare is massive. 20% of African households borrow monthly for health bills, while there are 20,000 nurses that are underemployed in Kenya. The healthcare sector should be one of the largest employers in Africa, but jobs are not being created,” explains Dr. Moka Lantum, CEO and CO-Founder of CheckUps.

By aligning healthcare payments with the irregular income flows of informal workers and the elderly, who struggle with lump-sum fees, CheckUps reduces annual costs by 60%. This approach improves health equity and expands employment opportunities. Currently, profit margins in the healthcare sector make it difficult for companies to hire staff. For example, on a $50 medication, the margin is only $7, and for generic medicines costing $5, the margin drops to just 7 cents. Such thin margins limit job creation, Dr. Moka Lantum demonstrates.

CheckUps aims not just to create jobs but to redefine healthcare financing. Their approach connects bankers with customers, allowing patients to access microloans for healthcare products in exchange for health benefits. By cutting costs, CheckUps reinvests in job creation for freelance nurses, offering them a dignified, flexible option to earn extra income.

Empowering Nurses with Skills and Safety

CheckUps recruits nurses at various stages of their careers, whether unemployed or seeking additional income, and trains them to deliver healthcare at scale, including in rural, often inaccessible, areas. They receive training to fill any skills gaps and to standardise processes and protocols. This is important so that CheckUps can guarantee a quality standard of care that it delivers. “At the early stages, this process can be overwhelming,” admits Dr. Moka Lantum, highlighting CFYE’s crucial support in addressing these challenges.

To enhance recruitment, CheckUps collaborates with nurse training institutions, ensuring trust in skills assessment and evaluation. While word-of-mouth referrals are now a key hiring method, maintaining a balance between demand and capacity remains essential.

“In addition to medical training, we teach nurses business skills; how to value their time, manage finances, and engage customers. These skills are life-changing,” adds Renee Ngamau, Co-Founder and President of CheckUps.

With 90% of their nursing staff being women, safety protocols are embedded in their project design to ensure safety during home visits. CheckUps uses an innovative healthcare application through which it dispatches nurses. “The idea is similar to Uber,” Dr. Moka Lantum explains. Through the application, CheckUps can track where nurses go, when they arrive, and when they depart. Additionally, nurses receive safety training and can decline visits or send alerts if they feel unsafe.

Partnerships Driving Growth

Despite its innovative business model, one of CheckUps’ biggest challenges has been attracting investors. Many funders focus on specific business models or company sizes, making it difficult for CheckUps to quantify and demonstrate their impact at scale. Winning the CFYE Youth Business Heroes award for the Most Innovative Business Model has been a great honour in its recognition of the value of CheckUps model.

“The recognition, along with the opportunity to participate in Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi, and receive Technical Assistance (TA), reinforces our commitment to job creation,” says Dr. Moka Lantum. Beyond the aware, the CFYE’s partnership supports CheckUps in validating its structure, improving impact measurement, and expanding job opportunities for youth across Kenya.

Personal Commitment at the Core of CheckUps’ Revolution

What fuels the CheckUps team’s dedication to healthcare innovation and job creation? For Diana Sawe, HR Manager at CheckUps, the mission is deeply personal.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for young job seekers, especially women in healthcare, to earn a livelihood without relying on traditional employment. I envision a future where nurses can work within their communities on their own schedules,” she says.

Diana Sawe is also excited about the exposure CheckUps will receive through the Youth Business Heroes award, which validates their hard work in improving access to healthcare and health financing. Diana proudly views CheckUps as a trendsetter and changemaker in these fields.

Renee Ngamau shares this enthusiasm, seeing CheckUps as a vehicle for reaching millions in underserved areas, while building skills and addressing youth unemployment. She is particularly proud of how their model alleviates financial strain on families and empowers women by reducing unpaid care work.

Like his colleagues, Dr. Moka Lantum is driven by a deep sense of purpose, which fuels his journey through the challenges of entrepreneurship. He envisions a future where healthcare is not just a necessity but also a thriving employment sector. With a shared commitment to transforming healthcare, the CheckUps team continues to break new ground, proving that innovation can drive both social impact and economic opportunity.