Indonesia-based Halodoc, an aspiring unicorn healthtech startup, along with regional unicorn superapp Gojek, recently collaborated together with Indonesia’s Mitra Keluarga Hospital and Kemayoran Complex Management Center (PPKK) to initiate free massive rapid covid-19 testing for the inhabitants of the city of Jakarta that will run from early to mid April 2020. It is understood that the initiative will utilize rapid drive-through covid-19 testing in order to minimize physical contact. According to Jonathan Sudharta, chief executive officer of Halodoc, the joint initiative between the collaborating parties to offer free rapid testing for the people of the capital city is vital for stemming the tide of the coronavirus outbreak that is currently affecting the nation. In order to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak, Halodoc believes that it is vital to offer accurate and easily accessible screening tests to the general public, and drive through testing is one effective method of achieving that aim while still following social distancing measures to reduce the risks of coronavirus transmission.
The aspiring healthtech unicorn, in a public statement, said that the rapid coronavirus testing will only be for people that have demonstrated a moderate to high risk of having contracted the coronavirus, for the time being. As for the rapid testing itself, all blood samples will be sent to a testing facility that is capable of identifying certain immunoglobulins, which are a telltale sign that the covid-19 pathogen is present in the blood.
People who experience symptoms of the coronavirus can use the Halodoc healthcare platform app to make free consultations with licensed medical practitioners to determine whether rapid testing is required. If there is cause for further testing, they can make an appointment via the app with just a click of the button to find out the schedule and place where the rapid testing will take place. After getting the place and time of the testing, the residents are recommended by Halodoc to head to the location by vehicle for the drive through testing. This is where Indonesian unicorn Gojek’s ride-hailing services come into the picture, as the healthtech startup advises that people can use ride hailing services, or their own mode of transport such as cars and motorbikes, to get their rapid coronavirus testing done at the drive-through facility. True to its name, residents will swiftly get their results just one day after their testing through either the Halodoc application or by SMS.
Residents who have tested positive for the coronavirus are able to get medical instructions from licensed medical professionals on the following steps to take, such as hospitalization or self-quarantine. Furthermore, people who are self-quarantining themselves can use the healthtech startup’s healthcare platform to consult with licensed medical professionals about their conditions. It is understood that Halodoc’s participating medical professionals are all required to be fully licensed, besides possessing at least three years’ worth of medical experience. In the case that residents who are practising self-quarantine require medicine, Gojek can have their medicine delivered right to their doorsteps.
Indonesian healthtech startup Halodoc has raised a total of approximately US$100 million through three rounds of funding to date, putting it squarely in the ranks of Southeast Asia’s many aspiring unicorns. The company has partnered with more than one thousand hospitals and healthcare providers throughout Indonesia, and its platform serves the medical and healthcare needs of more than five million users per month.
