In Nairobi’s Mukuru informal settlement, expectant mother Christine Wanjiku recently experienced her first ultrasound using a portable, smartphone-connected imaging device at a local clinic. Previously, low-income patients like Wanjiku had to travel long distances to hospitals for scans, facing high costs and long wait times. Through a partnership between Kenyan healthcare provider Access Afya and U.S. health-tech innovator Butterfly Network, these portable ultrasound systems are now available at affordable prices, transforming access to essential diagnostic care for underserved communities.
The technology allows clinics to quadruple the number of ultrasounds performed while reducing costs by 30 percent. We went from doing scans only one day a week to offering scans on-demand, guided remotely by our sonographer, said Dr. Daphne Ngunjiri, CEO of Access Afya. Sonographers highlight the significant impact on patient care, noting that sonography provides critical, non-invasive diagnostic information for both maternal and general health. With these digital tools, medical staff can deliver faster, more accurate care and monitor patients more effectively.
This partnership was facilitated by IFC’s TechEmerge program, which connects global health-tech innovators with local providers in emerging markets. TechEmerge addresses barriers to adoption, including awareness, financing, and suitability of new technologies, while offering technical and financial support to scale innovations. Today, Access Afya deploys these portable ultrasound devices across its network of 15 clinics in Kenya, benefiting thousands of patients. The initiative demonstrates how strategic partnerships, combined with accessible technology, can expand healthcare access, reduce costs, and improve outcomes for communities that historically faced limited medical services.