Ghanaian scientists take global lead in providing telehealth services to patients

Correspondence from the Northern Region

A team of Ghanaian scientists led by United States-based Ghanaian Computer Scientist Felix Davis have emerged as one of the world’s leading telehealth service providers, providing medical support and clinical triage to clients.

Together, the Ghanaian scientists, made up of computer software engineers, Artificial Intelligence, researchers, medical and other health professionals, collectively designed three ultramodern and high-tech Artificial Intelligence health technology products that are providing real-time medical services to users.

The team, which includes Felix Davis, A Computer Scientist based in the United States, Anumbia Anachaba Julius, a Research and Development Engineer, Dr Gifty Sugri Azunre and Dr Emmauel Teyie, both Medical Doctors and Dr Hanifatu Napari Mumuni, an Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health Expert and Head of the Statistics Department at the Tamale Technical University work under the name Mary Health and Mary Technologies Inc and has its suite of advanced, patient-centric solutions: Ask Mary, Doc Mary, and the Patient Access Terminal (PAT).

"We are incredibly excited to introduce Mary Health and our innovative platforms to Ghanaians.

"Our mission is to empower both patients and providers with intuitive, intelligent technology that simplifies healthcare, improves outcomes, and fosters a more connected health ecosystem. We believe our solutions will play a pivotal role in making quality healthcare more accessible and efficient for all Ghanaians," Felix Davis, Chief Executive Officer of Mary Health said in an interview.

Felix Davis founded the Mary Health in June 2024 with a mission rooted in personal tragedy and scouted “some of the best Ghanaian scientists to help save underprivileged Ghanaians from going through my experience”.

According to him, the startup is named after one Mary Dagadu, the woman who raised him, who passed away from late-stage breast cancer.

Davis said that if she had access to continuous home monitoring, her condition could have been caught early enough for a 99% survival rate.

“I was in medical school at the time—the first ever in my family to get that opportunity. I was actively talking with Mary and she was constantly supporting me, but I didn’t have any idea of her diagnosis.”

He said that unfortunately for Dagadu, and for the nearly 44% of the Ghanaian population living in rural areas, access to basic medical care means traveling several kilomenters, often on foot, leaving family and work behind. Sometimes, they are unable to find the financial means to cover these costs, Davis added.

After her demise, Davis said he abandoned medical school for Dartmouth College, an Ivy League research university in the United States, where he is studying Computer Science.

He founded Mary Health and started the development of the “Ask Mary’ AI Medical Assistant and the Patient Access Terminal (PAT), a low-cost, modular “microclinics” equipped with portable medical devices and AI-powered software to enable remote diagnosis and treatment.

Davis said he hopes to get local and international support to expand his innovation, which primarily wants to reduce or eliminate the struggles rural folks go through to access medical help, one that Mary Dagadu did not get early enough to save her life.

Ask Mary

An intelligent, AI-powered virtual health assistant that provides immediate, reliable information, symptom assessment, and guidance to appropriate care pathways.

Ask Mary empowers patients to make informed decisions about their health from the comfort of their homes, reducing unnecessary doctor visits and emergency room usage.

Doc Mary

A robust telehealth platform that seamlessly connects healthcare providers for virtual consultations, prescriptions and ongoing care management.

Doc Mary is the healthcare provider’s companion and enhances provider efficiency, extends reach to underserved populations, and offers patients convenient access to medical expertise.

Patient Access Terminal (PAT)

A state-of-the-art terminal solution designed for healthcare facilities, allowing patients to easily check-in, update information, schedule appointments, and access health resources.

The Patient Access Terminal significantly reduces wait times, automates administrative tasks, and enhances the patient experience upon arrival.