• IFC to acquire stake in KERA Health, an AI-based e-health platform in Senegal

• Funding to support digitized health services expansion across WAEMU region

• Project aims to lower patient costs and improve care for informal workers, women

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has announced plans to invest up to $10 million in KERA Health Platforms, a Senegalese startup that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to digitize and analyze healthcare data. The initiative targets improved healthcare delivery across the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) region.

The proposed investment, subject to board approval on June 20 will help develop a software platform that streamlines the digitization and integration of health services. The platform is designed to serve vulnerable groups, including informal sector workers and women, by reducing patient costs and enhancing service quality through quicker payments and AI-driven efficiency.

In addition to financing, IFC will support KERA in adopting social and environmental standards, improving governance, and establishing mechanisms for employee grievances.

This move expands on a partnership launched in 2023 between IFC and KERA to strengthen the healthcare ecosystem in West Africa. It comes in response to the region’s chronic shortage of medical professionals, estimated at just 1.5 doctors per 1,000 people, highlighting the potential for AI to address service gaps, improve clinical decision-making, and scale health interventions more effectively.