Telenor launches a digital health service for emerging markets

 07-Jun-16, TechCrunch

There’s a new company entering the mobile healthcare space in Asia, and it is perhaps an unlikely name. That’s because telecom giant Telenor has launched Tonic, a service that provides basic medical information as well as more sophisticated services.

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Tonic has launched first in Bangladesh via Telenor-owned Grameenphone, the country’s largest operator with over 57 million customers. Bangladesh is the world’s eighth largest country with a population of 168 million people, yet there are just 0.4 doctors per 1,000 people and 60 percent of national healthcare spend is not covered by insurance.

Tonic is initially focused in four main areas. Its ‘Tonic Life’ content portal contains health and illness information, suggestions for positive health change and editorial style content — vetted by doctors — to help catch the attention of Grameenphone subscribers. There’s also a 24-7 helpline staffed by 30 doctors. 

Tonic also includes more advanced options to help increase patient care. There’s a cash benefit program that gives users cashback for certain medical expenditures, and a discount service through which users can find offers for a range of different treatments at hospitals in the country.

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