Digitization for Everyday Healthcare in Africa
DIGITIZATION FOR
EVERYDAY HEALTHCARE IN AFRICA
We develop innovative solutions to deliver quality healthcare to all mothers and children in Africa.
News
About Us
Through our business, we are tackling healthcare challenges in Africa. Our unique digital solution, SPAQ, connects healthcare administration, small medical facilities, and communities, enhancing the overall performance of health systems.
In collaboration with governments and international organizations, including the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo with whom we have a public-private partnership agreement, we continuously develop and disseminate innovative solutions.
Problem
It is estimated that less than 20% of maternal deaths in Kwango Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, occur in health facilities, with the majority occurring in the community. In addition to poor access from home to medical facilities, poor medical environments and poor quality of medical services are also reasons why pregnant women do not visit medical facilities. The above mentioned case of the Province of Kwango in the DRC is a real issue we find in most of the Sub-Saharan countries, with consequence of high maternal and newborn mortality rate.
Delivery bed at health center
Medical equipment at health center
Our Service
digital maternity package
SPAQ
SPAQ is an integrated solution to digitize maternity services in African health centers and dramatically improve the quality of health services.
By following the navigation of a smartphone app, healthcare workers in Africa can easily conduct digital antenatal checkups using portable medical devices.
Community volunteer collaboration
To reduce "hidden" maternal and child deaths that do not appear in statistics, SPAQ works with partners closest to the community.
Community volunteers use smartphones to register medical histories in villages, and information on high-risk pregnant women is immediately transmitted to the relevant medical center.
Neonatal resuscitation simulator
It is difficult to ensure the quality of neonatal resuscitation services at local medical facilities through one-off classroom training alone.
The neonatal resuscitation simulation function and equipment storage status registration function help medical facilities maintain the ability to provide appropriate services.
Business introduction video
logic model
Digital maternal and child health solution that connects small-scale medical facilities
"SPAQ"
Works
March
March
June
December
Selected for the University of Tokyo accelerator program FoundX
Obtained license for medical device sales in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Selected for the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare/National Center for Global Health Research “Project to Promote International Development of Medical Technology” (first year)
Launched prototype test of obstetrical checkup app S-PAQ
2020
*Blue text indicates adoption of subsidies and support programs.
January
April
April
June
July
August
Developing a national roadmap and pilot project for digital obstetric checkups jointly with the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Selected for the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare/National Center for Global Health Research “Project to Promote International Expansion of Medical Technology” (2nd year)
FY2020 supplementary manufacturing, commercial and service productivity improvement promotion subsidy 5th deadline Selected for global expansion type
Obtained a letter of recommendation from the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (first for the Ministry of Health)
Concluded a public-private partnership agreement with the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (first for a Japanese company)
Briefing session for donors on the S-PAQ dissemination plan held with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
2021
January
April
June
Approval of investment plan based on the DRC Investment Code (first for a Japanese company)
Selected for the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare/National Center for Global Health Research “Project to Promote International Development of Medical Technology” (3rd year)
Selected for Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry J-Partnership subsidy
2022
February
February
April
May
May
July
October
December
December
Received an order for 130 sets of SPAQ from the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with delivery scheduled for March. Added 36 units in September.
Contract for a demonstration project for the introduction of his digital solutions in the field of maternal and child health at JICA Gabon (conducted as part of basic information collection and confirmation survey)
Selected for the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare/National Center for Global Health Research “Project to Promote International Expansion of Medical Technology” (4th year)
Start of North Kivu project with UNFPA. Local midwives conduct prenatal checkups at internally displaced persons camps. (Implemented as part of the supplementary budget project)
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications adopted the 2023 “Local Framework for ICT Overseas Expansion Package Support Project”.The demonstration in Zambia was conducted in collaboration with NPO Rocinantes, Kyushu University, and others.
MEJ signed a contract for the FY2020 Healthcare Industry International Expansion Promotion Project "Basic Survey Project on Neonatal Resuscitation Educational Devices and Introduction Support Services in Cambodia, Nepal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo." Responsible for market research in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in collaboration with ELECOM.
Adoption of Counterpart Funding Project by the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and conclusion of contract (SPAQ introduced at 6 facilities in Kwango Province)
Support for formulating equipment specifications for public medical facilities, SPAQ specifications (formulated for the first time by the Ministry of Health) (implemented as part of the activities of the NCGM international expansion promotion project)
JICA SME/SDGs business support project “Needs confirmation survey for improving maternal and child health using Zambia obstetric health checkup digital solution SPAQ” selected
2023
May
June
July
Nov
Dec
Dec
Dec
Dec
Selected for the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare/National Center for Global Health Research “Project to Promote International Expansion of Medical Technology” (5th year)
Launched a test deployment of the Neonatal Resuscitation Simulator App
Selected for the Grant Program under Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) for the 'Feasibility Study Project on Emerging Business Opportunities in the African Market (AfDX)
Launched a test deployment of a village-based maternal screening program by community agents
Launched a test deployment of a death alert reporting app by community volunteers
CEO Mr.Furuta Presents at the Third Japan-Africa Public-Private Economic Forum Held in Côte d’Ivoire
Initiated a trial of evidence-based policy making using health data, in collaboration with the Kwango Provincial Health Office
Awarded the FY2024 contract by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications for the demonstration project on maternal and child health DX platform and communication infrastructure package deployment in the DRC
2024
Mar
Apr
May
Received the 6th SDGs Japan Scholarship Iwasa Award (Medical Category)
Selected by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for the Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation Project Grant: "Commercialization and Promotion Demonstration Project of Prenatal Care Using an AI-Enabled Maternal and Child Health DX Platform in the DRC"
Launched a new project in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in partnership with UNFPA
2025
Impact
99
Level of satisfaction
%
74
%
+
Prenatal examination
Life saved
50
SPAQ is used in four African countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Gabon, and Sierra Leone.
Over 200 SPAQ kits have been purchased and are utilized by healthcare professionals and community volunteers in these countries. Digital prenatal checkups using SPAQ have exceeded 5,000, with over 50 lives saved due to early detection of abnormalities and improved communication. According to a 2022 survey in Kwango Province, DRC, 99% of pregnant women were satisfied with their digital prenatal checkup through SPAQ.
Voice
SOIK matinée de plaidoyer télé 50 RDC le 31 aout 2021
Intervention du PDG de SOIK, Mr FURUTA KUNIYUKI lors du salon privé Japonais (AIF2023)
Rupture Uterine
Placenta Praevia
Message
Pursuing social impact
for personal happiness.
SOIK Representative Director and CEO Kuniyuki Furuta
Career
Medical device startup 2 years
JICA 8 years (3 years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo/Switzerland IMD MBA
Pursuing social impact for my own happiness. Throughout my career, I have aimed to create a business that is enjoyable and addresses social challenges in developing countries through a sustainable, profit-driven model. Digital health in Africa has become our business area, a result of various encounters and coincidences. Not only SOIK employees but also our partners and users genuinely enjoy our business, striving to maximize the impact on reducing maternal and child mortality.
Company
The company name SOIK comes from the French word soin quotidien (daily care).
Japanese corporation
Company Name
SOIK Corporation
Location
1861 Uza, Yomitan Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa 904-0328
Foundation date
September 26, 2019
Staff
8 members
Representative Director and President
Kuniyuki Furuta
Business content
・Healthcare service business development
・Medical equipment sales
・Consulting/Investigation
capital
3 million JPY
DRC Subsidiary
Democratic Republic of the Congo Local subsidiary name
SOIK Corporation sarl
Location
avenue Colonel Mondjiba, n°374,2ème niveau, sis Galerie Saint-Pierre dans la Commune de Ngaliema, Kinshasa, République démocratique du Congo
Staff
11 members
Representative and Director
Katabaruka Kabi Olivier
Foundation date
September 26, 2019
Contact
We are looking for potential teammates who are passionate about making a difference for mothers and children in Africa, offering a variety of job roles and working styles. We welcome those who resonate with SOIK's mission.
We are building a digital health platform to improve the quality of rural healthcare in Africa and are eager to discuss potential collaborations with partners who have products like portable medical devices, programmed medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.
If you have any questions or inquiries, please feel free to contact us.