An alumnus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), Dr Samuel Amoako-Kusi, has won $10,000 after placing second in the Innovate@BU 2026 New Venture Competition at Boston University.

Dr Amoako-Kusi secured the prize in the social impact track for his telemedicine startup, JoHil eKlinics, which aims to improve access to specialist healthcare in underserved rural communities in Ghana.

He holds a Master of Business Administration in Management and Organisational Development from KNUST and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) in healthcare management at Boston University’s School of Public Health.

Drawing on his background in dental surgery and his experience running a peri-urban primary care clinic he founded in 2021, Dr Amoako-Kusi identified a persistent challenge: patients with chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes often failed to follow through on specialist referrals due to long travel distances and high costs.

To address this, he developed a digital solution through eDok Technologies, a telemedicine platform that connects patients in rural clinics with specialists in urban centres.

Under the hybrid model, patients visit JoHil eKlinics for initial assessments, where nurses take vital signs and prepare them for virtual consultations with doctors. The approach enables regular follow-ups and improves access to medication.

Dr Amoako-Kusi said improved monitoring has helped prevent dozens of stroke cases while significantly reducing emergency room visits.

The model has also lowered the financial burden on patients, cutting average annual healthcare costs.

Looking ahead, he plans to expand JoHil eKlinics with the establishment of a second facility while continuing his academic work, with ambitions to pursue a PhD in health services research.