19. Providing Discrete Access to Stigmatised Healthcare in South Africa | Alex Schmid, Founder, Contro Live The African Dream by Ajim Capital

The healthcare system in South Africa faces a number of challenges, including limited access to discrete treatments and services. This is especially prevalent for individuals who require specialised care for conditions such as STDs.

In response to this problem, Alex Schmid founded Contro with the goal of providing discrete access to stigmatised healthcare in South Africa. Contro aims to bridge the gap between those needing care and the resources available, by offering confidential and personalised services.

In this episode of Live The African Dream, Blessing Iyamadiken, Head of Platform at Ajim Capital speaks to Alex Schmid about the challenges of building a discrete tele-healthcare startup in South Africa and his journey so far.

He said, "We found that 60% of patients that were going to telehealth platforms were being referred back to physical care, and so we streamlined the process of getting healthcare, especially for things like birth control and STIs. We said to ourselves, we can make telehealth cheaper, better, but the biggest thing is, we can make it discrete."

Stigma plays a major role in preventing individuals from seeking the necessary healthcare they need. This can be due to fear of discrimination, judgement or even violence. As a result, many people living with stigmatised conditions may avoid seeking treatment altogether.

By offering discrete access to healthcare, Contro is helping to break down the barriers created by stigma.