Xcelerate has agreed to purchase a 51% stake in start-up medical technology and virtual health company AfiyaSasa Africa (ASA) for an undisclosed sum.

ASA’s technology is based on software, which uses and integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) developed by AdviNOW.

The application has been developed to connect people in remote areas with limited medical infrastructure and/or limited medical professionals. Dr Dilan Ellegala and Doyle Word have founded ASA.

Xcelerate CEO Michael O’Shea said: “This project, among others, has been at the forefront of our planning ever since Dilan Ellegala joined our Advisory Board in 2021.

“ASA is uniquely positioned to help the people of Africa meet their medical needs by extending the reach of physicians to their patient’s mobile devices through a patented breakthrough technology.”

Designed for access by patients on their cell phones, tablets or computers, the ASA system enables licenced physicians and other medical personnel to conduct initial check-in, triage, and choose a suitable care path, virtually.

To ascertain if the patient is a return patient, the system is installed with facial recognition and storage capability.

According to the company, the technology allows to take measurements with medical devices connected to a cell phone, tablet, or computer through a set of questions and answers, which are dynamically integrated with the systems AI component.

With AI supporting Q&A, AR will enable the assessment of diagnostic possibilities, testing and treatment options, as well as next steps for the patient, the firm said.

In a statement, ASA co-founder Dr Dilan Ellegala said: “ASA is now poised to take Dr. Ellegala’s foundational work to the highest level by dramatically improving the health care delivery system for hundreds of millions of Africans and we’re excited to be a partner in the project.”