Global Health Solutions Accelerates Vitality Health International Expansion Across Seven African Nations

“While our name has changed, our commitment to our clients and to our core purpose – to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives – remains the same,” explains Emma Knox, CEO of Global Health Solutions at Discovery Health.

Future-focused

“Global Health Solutions enables the future-focused growth of the Vitality Health International (Africa) business in two ways.

“First, by continuing the proven operating model of partnering with in-market insurers across Africa to deliver employer-focused solutions.

“Second, by enabling expansion into a broader range of solutions that meet our clients’ healthcare needs more completely, such as through our Administration Services Only (ASO) offering — a fully managed healthcare administration solution.”

Vitality Health International (Africa) has, since its inception in 2022, expanded to offer its services to clients in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia, serving clients across a vast range of industries, including mining, telecommunications, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).

“Not only have we empowered our members with access to high-quality healthcare on the African continent, but also internationally through our global network of healthcare professionals and facilities,” explains Knox.

Global Health Solutions provides healthcare solutions across three core pillars: market tailoring, rewarding wellness, and access to administrative infrastructure.

Tailored to the market

Employers can choose from eight plan options – ranging from hospital-only insurance to comprehensive cover – with benefits for local staff and expatriates.

Coverage includes in-country, Africa-roaming, or worldwide (excluding the USA), with annual limits from $25,000 to $3m, providing members with access to over 6,000 healthcare providers in 52 countries across Africa and a global network of providers.

The recently launched Hospital Series offers affordable hospital plans with essential in-patient protection, post-admission care and regional flexibility.

“We also provide a multilingual digital servicing experience in English, French and Portuguese, including access to 24/7 telephonic, WhatsApp and email support,” adds Knox.

Rewarding healthy living

Global Health Solutions is built on Discovery’s Vitality-powered shared-value insurance model, the gamified behavioural change programme that encourages healthier lifestyles through personalised incentives and rewards.

This model is particularly relevant in Africa, where a young, digitally connected workforce faces rising lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Through Vitality, Global Health Solutions helps employers respond to this challenge by identifying health risks earlier and intervening sooner, using local market insights, machine learning and real-time analytics to deliver predictive, preventive and personalised care.

Vitality is included in Global Health Solutions’ health insurance offering.

Through on-site Wellness Days, digital engagement and personalised goals on the Vitality Africa app, employees are supported in understanding, improving, and actively managing their health and wellness.

By completing their weekly goals, members can earn rewards or choose to donate their rewards to help to fund life-saving vaccines for communities in need.

These rewards include vouchers from a range of country-specific Vitality rewards partners, including Jumia, Vodacom, Uber, M-Pesa, and Safaricom.

Admin access

ASO gives self-funded employers access to Discovery Health’s administrative infrastructure, including expert claims management, accredited provider networks, 24/7 medical support and detailed, data-driven reporting.

“Through Discovery Health - Global Health Solutions, we are moving beyond traditional health insurance to build an integrated healthcare ecosystem for employers across Africa," concludes Knox.

“By bringing together tailored health insurance, the Vitality wellness programme and advanced administration and clinical capabilities on a single platform, we can meet a far broader range of healthcare needs for employers and their people, while staying true to Discovery’s core purpose: making people healthier and enhancing and protecting their lives.”