This Ethiopian App Integrates Traditional Healers into Digital Health Platform

A tele-health mobile app launched last week looks to bring Ethiopia’s rich traditional medicine legacy into the digital space by featuring Health Ministry-certified traditional healers. Tena ‘Adam, the brainchild of an Ethiopian-American who works in the digital health sector, offers users access to health consultations from a wide range of professionals through personalized profiles. The platform, which integrates indigenous healing with a digital infrastructure, is the flagship product Tilla Health Insurance, a health enterprise which began operations last year. 

Named after Ruta chalepensis, a medicinal plant long used in Ethiopian healing rituals, the platform offers virtual consultations and appointment booking services with a broad spectrum of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nutritionists, and, notably, traditional healers. 

Mintesnot Kassie (PhD), the Platform’s founder, hopes to contribute to providing affordable, quality healthcare to Ethiopians living in rural and peri-urban areas by giving them access to specialists. 

“Profitability isn’t really the target right now, though we’re hoping our suite of services under Tilla Health will compensate for it,” noted the founder. 

Tilla Health Insurance provides an array of services, including health insurance, personalized care plans, and the processing of claims. Mintesinot say hundreds of thousands of dollars have been invested on operational costs for Tilla Health and the development of the Tena’ Adam platform.

Users can create personal profiles with details of their physical well-being, like height, weight, and medical status, to access the platform. Health professionals can also register through the app, while actual onboarding is predicated on further vetting. Tena’Adam enables appointment bookings with specialists in various fields, stores medical history, and links to health care providers.

The US-educated founder has over a decade of experience in health and technology, holding a postgraduate degree in health informatics and a doctorate in computer science. He expects health professionals found both locally and Ethiopian diaspora to provide consultation services through Tena’ Adam.

“We’re building more than just a telehealth tool. This is about reconnecting with heritage while making quality care more accessible,” Mintesinot told Shega.

Close to 90 professionals have been registered on the app, with the company conducting its vetting even if they have already been certified by the Health Ministry. 

Available in Amharic, Afaan Oromo, and English, the app connects users with specialists in internal medicine, mental health (especially marriage counseling), wellness, home care, and licensed traditional medicine.

The app is currently available on Android, with an iOS version expected within two weeks. A second version will also follow, introducing features like a health community forum and expanded language support.

Ethiopia’s health-tech ecosystem features several platforms operating at different scales and elements of the broader ecosystem. Despite interest from health professionals looking for additional income, an underdeveloped national infrastructure has limited their reach and variety of services.