Ekins Kuuzie’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of innovation, passion, and perseverance. As a medical doctor turned entrepreneur, he has dedicated his life to harnessing technology to drive social impact in Africa and beyond. From the operating rooms of Ghana to the cutting-edge tech hubs of the world, Ekins’ story is a remarkable tale of courage, resilience, and determination. With his groundbreaking startups, Repherod and MNEMOS, he is tackling some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare, pioneering a new era of medical innovation and social entrepreneurship that is transforming lives and inspiring a new generation of leaders.
From Engineer to Doctor: The Early Years
As a child, Ekins Kuuzie dreamed of becoming an engineer. He spent hours dismantling gadgets, often his grandmother’s radio, just to figure out how they worked. “I loved working with my hands and building things,” he recalls. But fate had other plans. A high school injury that required surgery shifted his focus entirely. “I vividly remember the excruciating pain before the surgery and the immense relief afterward. That experience made me realize I wanted to become a doctor—to help relieve others from their pain, just as I had been helped.”
This turning point set Kuuzie on a path to medical school, where he developed a love for anatomy and aspired to become a surgeon. However, his experiences as a practicing doctor revealed systemic inefficiencies that sparked a deeper calling. “I saw firsthand how limited the impact in the operating room could be, especially when systemic inefficiencies outside the theater were the root cause of poor patient outcomes,” he explains.
Repherod: Revolutionizing Patient Referrals
One such inefficiency was Ghana’s fragmented patient referral system. “Patients in the emergency ward would die because they couldn’t be referred to a facility with the specialized care they urgently needed,” he says. This tragic reality led Kuuzie to co-found Repherod in 2023, a health-tech startup dedicated to creating an electronic referral system to improve emergency care in Ghana. “The process of finding another hospital to accept a patient was incredibly frustrating. Calls to other facilities were often met with excuses like ‘no bed space’ or ‘call back in an hour.’ Meanwhile, the patient’s condition would worsen. I knew there had to be a better way.” Repherod is a dynamic eReferral platform designed to empower doctors with the ability to refer patients for emergency and specialist medical care quickly and efficiently. “Our mission at Repherod is to guarantee access to high-quality and timely care for everyone, regardless of their geographical location,” Kuuzie emphasizes. The company is currently made up of 6 team members.
Kuuzie’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t stop there. Drawing from his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, when medical schools in Ghana struggled with poor internet infrastructure and disjointed learning methods, he identified another critical gap. “I met a medical student who had trained abroad and was struggling to prepare for Ghana’s medical licensing exam because of differences in curricula,” he shares. This inspired him to co-found MNEMOS in 2024, an asynchronous online learning platform designed to cater to the needs of medical students in low- and middle-income countries. MNEMOS is dedicated to making medical education accessible to students in developing countries. “MNEMOS aims to bridge the gap by offering tailored, high-quality educational resources that empower students to succeed.”
In the pursuit of medical excellence, the journey is often fraught with challenges, particularly for students in low- and middle-income countries. At MNEMOS, a pioneering force in medical education, the mission is clear: to democratize access to high-quality medical knowledge, empowering students to thrive in their exams and clinical practice. By harnessing the power of digital technology and AI, MNEMOS delivers personalized, world-class content, bridging the gap between aspiration and achievement. With a team of seasoned educators and tutors collaborating closely with medical schools, MNEMOS is revolutionizing medical education, ensuring that every student, regardless of their location or background, has the tools to succeed in their medical career.
Overcoming Challenges and Building Solutions
Building these startups has been no small feat. Kuuzie acknowledges the challenges of moving from the stable world of traditional medicine into the uncertain terrain of entrepreneurship. “Medicine teaches you to minimize risks and follow well-defined paths, whereas entrepreneurship is inherently uncertain and risk-laden,” he says. He also faced difficulties convincing technical professionals to join his ventures. As a non-technical founder, Kuuzie taught himself Python and used no-code tools to build prototypes. “These prototypes have been invaluable in showing potential collaborators the impact of my ideas,” he notes.
Despite the obstacles, Kuuzie remains focused on his mission. Both Repherod and MNEMOS are nearing critical milestones in 2025. Repherod will begin pilot testing in healthcare facilities, while MNEMOS will conduct its first round of user testing in January. “These steps will help us refine our platforms and move closer to fully launching both solutions,” he shares.
Kuuzie is also involved in a community project to improve hospital attendance by sending automated SMS and voice reminders to patients about their appointments. “Forgetfulness is a major reason patients miss appointments, especially those with chronic conditions. Our low-tech solution addresses this issue, and we plan to integrate AI to predict and target patients at higher risk of missing appointments,” he explains. The initiative is set to launch in 2025.
Leadership, Vision, and the Future
Reflecting on his journey, Kuuzie emphasizes the importance of passion. “Entrepreneurship is filled with challenges, uncertainties, and moments of self-doubt. Without passion, it’s easy to lose sight of your goals when things get tough. Passion fuels persistence, and persistence leads to progress.” He also highlights the value of starting small. “It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the problem you want to solve, but progress is made one step at a time. Don’t be afraid to launch with a minimum viable product. Engage with your users early and let their feedback guide your next steps.”
Kuuzie’s approach to leadership is rooted in empathy and collaboration. “Leadership is about inspiring others to share your vision. Building a team that believes in your mission and sees the impact of their work is invaluable,” he says.
Looking ahead, Kuuzie is excited about emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) in healthcare and education. “The ability to immerse oneself in a simulated environment can dramatically enhance learning, especially in complex subjects like anatomy and surgical training,” he observes.
While Kuuzie’s ventures are still in their early stages, his vision is clear: revolutionize healthcare and education in Africa. “With Repherod, we aim to ensure no patient’s care is compromised due to inefficiencies. With MNEMOS, we aspire to become a trusted educational platform that empowers students to excel in their studies and careers. The feedback we’ve already received has been overwhelmingly positive, giving us confidence in the potential impact of these ventures.”
Ekins Kuuzie’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience, innovation, and a passion for making a difference. By leveraging technology to address critical gaps in healthcare and education, he is not only transforming lives in Ghana but also paving the way for a brighter future in Africa and beyond.