Beyond the Camp: How Pana+Care is Reimagining Community Health in Kenya

When we talk about innovation in healthcare, it’s easy to picture futuristic devices and sleek apps. But sometimes, the most powerful breakthroughs aren’t about technology alone—they’re about people. For Pana+Care, a rising healthcare startup from the 2024 African Impact Challenge (AIC) cohort, that realization has been at the heart of their success.

Recently, Panacare hosted a highly successful medical camp in Rangwe, a rural area where access to comprehensive care is often scarce. But what truly made this camp stand out wasn’t just the number of people screened or the tools used—it was the philosophy driving it.

Building with communities, not for them

“Learning to build with people, not for them,” founder Beverly Senda reflects, “sounds obvious, but it changes everything.” Through the AIC journey, Beverly and her team realized that real healthcare innovation begins on the ground—listening first, understanding daily realities, and designing solutions that fit seamlessly into how people actually live.

Rather than letting technology dictate the process, Pana+Care flipped the script: technology became the tool, and people—their habits, struggles, and strengths—became the blueprint.

From Challenges to Catalysts

Beverly speaks candidly about the early days: the excitement of “digitising everything” met with the reality of poor connectivity and limited smartphone use in rural clinics. Instead of seeing these as setbacks, Pana+Care transformed them into guideposts, pivoting to create a more hybrid, human-centered model.

Operating with constrained resources wasn’t just a hurdle—it taught the team the value of partnerships and efficiency early on. It’s this resourcefulness that’s now propelling them toward scale. But Beverly is clear-eyed about the next step: to widen their impact, additional resources are not just helpful—they’re critical.

A Culture of Co-building

At the core of Pana+Care’s evolution is its team. Beverly describes them not just as implementers, but as “co-builders”—people who proactively research, ask questions, and shape the solution. It’s a culture born from the belief that impactful healthcare isn’t delivered by a single hero, but by an ecosystem where everyone feels ownership.

This mindset reflects another powerful lesson from the African Impact Challenge: impact isn’t about standing out as a founder; it’s about bringing others in to stand with you.

What’s Next: From One-off Care to Continuous Care

Looking ahead, Panacare’s upcoming August camp represents an evolution, not just an expansion. Beyond screenings, they’re designing actual care pathways, bringing in more diagnostic tools, and planning how to follow up with patients long after the tents are packed away.

They’re also taking a more targeted approach—focusing on people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), a growing but often under-addressed crisis in rural communities. The goal? To identify high-risk patients, manage those who can be cared for locally, and ensure no one falls through the cracks.

In Beverly’s words: “The camp isn’t the finish line—it’s the starting point of a longer journey with every patient.”

The Bigger Picture: Healthcare is About Trust

For Panacare, the real innovation isn’t just the platform or the medical devices—it’s the commitment to show up, again and again. “The tech is the tool,” Beverly emphasizes, “but the real work is in trust, access, and consistency.”

By blending digital tools with deeply human care, Panacare isn’t just closing treatment gaps—they’re building an end-to-end healthcare system rooted in dignity and partnership.

Inspiration for Fellow Builders

To those starting out, Beverly offers simple yet powerful advice: Start messy. Perfection will slow you down; the field will teach you more than planning ever could. And while it’s essential to listen and adapt, staying anchored to your vision is equally vital. Trying to please everyone, she warns, will only dilute your mission.

Why This Matters

Pana+Care’s story is a reminder that true innovation in Africa—and anywhere—comes from deeply understanding people and building alongside them. It’s about moving beyond momentary interventions toward systems that support people through every stage of their health journey.

In the end, it’s not about the tech you introduce, but the trust you build. And with Pana+Care leading the way, the future of healthcare in Kenya looks not only more digital—but more human.