Let’s start by looking at an example of catalytic innovation here at home, South Africa.
People walking into a well-resourced health centre in a township and getting immediate help is very rare in poorer areas of South Africa like Diepsloot, a shantytown of about 1000 000 people 40 kilometres outside Johannesburg.
Dr. Nthabiseng Legoete did something about it.
Dr Legoete started Quali Health in May 2016.
Quali Health is a social enterprise focused on delivering affordable primary healthcare to marginalized communities in South Africa.
Within 5 months Quali Health was turning a profit and now sees over 3,000 patients a month.
How is Quali-Health a catalytic innovation?
- Creating social change: Quali-Health provides quality health care that is critical to poor communities.
- Scalable and Replicable: Quali-Health opened similar clinics in other areas such as Alexandra, Tembisa and Braamfischer giving access to quality private health care to more people who can’t afford quality health care.
- Meet un-served needs: 80% of South Africans don’t have medical aid. Quali Health serves this market.
- Offer products that are simpler and less costs: Circumcision or a pap smear test, costs only R250 [$25]. General practitioners in Johannesburg charge R500 $50 just for consultation alone.
- Generate resources: Has attracted funding from various funders.
Nthabiseng has been able to democratize quality primary health care to thousands of people who could not afford it before.
