Grace Ashiru
South African healthtech startup Vula has surpassed three million patient referrals on its digital healthcare platform, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to improve access to specialist medical care.
Launched in 2014, Vula connects primary healthcare professionals with medical specialists, enabling doctors and other health workers to obtain specialist advice and coordinate patient referrals digitally.
The platform is particularly aimed at improving healthcare delivery in areas where specialist services may be difficult to access.
More than 45,000 healthcare professionals are registered on Vula across South Africa, Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini, according to the company.
Health workers using the platform generate more than 2,000 patient referrals each day, while specialists respond to cases in around 15 minutes on average.
Vula says the technology can also reduce unnecessary hospital transfers. In some rural communities, patients can receive specialist input without travelling long distances to referral hospitals.
The company says around one in five rural patients referred through its platform can receive the assistance they need without being transferred to a specialist hospital.
Vula’s website now records more than three million referrals sent through its network, alongside more than 2,500 public and private healthcare facilities.
The milestone highlights the growing role digital health platforms can play in connecting healthcare workers, specialists and patients across underserved communities in Africa.
