How Do I Get My Health App Into Government Hands Without Bribes?

Q: Dear HealthPreneur,
I’ve built a rock-solid healthtech app. It tracks patient records like a dream and sends appointment reminders in five local languages. But when I try to pitch it to county hospitals, all I get are polite smiles, unanswered emails, or “Wacha tuongee vizuri” (Let’s talk nicely). I want to scale ethically. Is there any way to get my app adopted by government without paying a bribe?
— Frustrated Founder, Kisumu

A: Dear Frustrated,

Ah, the eternal African founder’s conundrum: “How do I knock without oiling the hinges?” You, my friend, are not alone. In fact, if I had a dollar for every health innovator who asked me this question, I’d have enough to bribe someone — but I won’t.

Let’s dive in. No long stories—just the realest advice this side of the equator.

1. First, Let’s Be Honest: Yes, Corruption Exists

As the Nigerians say, “No be today yansh dey back.” Bribes and kickbacks have been baked into many procurement systems since the days of post-colonial bureaucracy. But that doesn’t mean everyone’s hand is always out.

There are reformers inside the government—honest ones. But they’re often quiet, frustrated, and buried under tonnes of red tape. Find them.

2. Make It Unignorable

Governments don’t buy innovation. They buy results, compliance, and peace of mind.

So:

• Run your app in private clinics, mission hospitals, or county referral facilities willing to pilot.

• Gather hard data: patient outcomes improved, time saved, errors reduced.

• Get testimonials, reports, and media coverage. Let Daily Nation, TechCabal or Business Daily sing your praises.

Why? Because when your product starts making noise outside the system, government actors start asking: “Why don’t we have this?”

📍 See: Kasha’s public-private partnerships in Rwanda and Kenya (https://kasha.co)

3. Enter Through the Front Door: Government Portals

Most African governments now have digital procurement platforms. It’s not sexy, but it's legit:

• Kenya: IFMIS e-Procurement Portal

• Nigeria: BPP e-Procurement

• South Africa: eTender Portal

Yes, it may feel like throwing your application into a black hole, but at least it gives you receipts and cover. And sometimes—miracles happen.

4. Don’t Go Alone — Use Health Influencers

No, not TikTok dancers. I mean respected medical champions, like hospital heads, union reps, or digital health-savvy clinicians.

Involve them in your product trials. If a respected county CMO (Chief Medical Officer) says, “This app saved my maternity ward,” ears will perk up.

“He who doesn’t listen to elders ends up eating raw yams.” — Igbo proverb

5. Play The Long Game with Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)

You’re not selling an app; you’re solving a health systems problem. Frame it as a PPP and pitch your solution during innovation days, policy hackathons, or ministry roundtables.

Great places to start:

• Africa CDC HealthTech Innovation

• Smart Africa Digital Health Platform

Governments trust slow but stable. Become the “boringly reliable” option.

6. Bonus: Work Through Donors Who Already Have Government Trust

Sometimes, it’s easier to enter the palace through the window cleaner’s door.

NGOs like Amref, Path, MSF, or CHAI often act as technical partners to ministries of health. If they validate your solution, you may get backdoor legitimacy—without the brown envelope.

💡 Example: Maisha Meds worked with multiple funders to expand medication access and now operates across Kenya, Nigeria, and Zambia. (https://maishameds.org)

So Can You Really Get In Without Bribes?

Yes.
Will it take longer? Absolutely.
Will it drain you emotionally? Certainly.
But will you sleep soundly at night? You bet.

In a continent where we’re rebuilding broken systems, your ethics are your brand. Don’t let a few closed doors convince you to abandon your integrity. You’re not selling mangoes; you’re building a legacy.

“When the music changes, so does the dance.” — African proverb

So change your strategy. But don’t change your soul.

References

Maisha Meds. (2024). Digitising African Pharmacies. https://maishameds.org
Kasha. (2024). Expanding Access to Women’s Health. https://kasha.co
Government of Kenya. (2024). IFMIS Supplier Portal. https://supplier.treasury.go.ke
Smart Africa. (2024). Digital Health Programmes. https://smartafrica.org
Africa CDC. (2024). Innovation and Research. https://africacdc.org