Nigerian health technology company Medbankr has launched a digital platform that allows users to store, access and control their medical records in one place.

The platform is designed to consolidate patients’ health information, including laboratory results, prescriptions, scan reports and clinical notes, from different healthcare providers into a secure digital health record.

Medbankr said the platform was developed to address the problem of fragmented medical records, which are often scattered across paper files, hospital folders, WhatsApp messages and patients’ recollection.

The company said the lack of accessible medical histories can create difficulties when patients change doctors, relocate or seek treatment at different hospitals, potentially resulting in repeated tests, delayed care and missed follow-ups.

At the centre of the platform is the Health Vault, an encrypted digital repository that allows users to keep their medical information and determine who can access it.

Medbankr said the platform also incorporates artificial intelligence tools to help users understand symptoms, manage medications, monitor vital signs and navigate healthcare services.

The company identified five major features of the platform as Health Vault, Guided Symptom Support, Medication Management, Vital and Health Tracking, and Secure Sharing.

Through Guided Symptom Support, users can receive AI-assisted information about their symptoms and guidance on when and where to seek medical attention. The company stressed that diagnosis and treatment decisions remain the responsibility of qualified healthcare professionals.

The Medication Management feature provides users with medication reminders, dosage tracking and refill alerts, while Vital and Health Tracking enables them to monitor health information and identify patterns or unusual changes that may require discussion with a doctor.

The Secure Sharing feature allows users to give selected clinicians, specialists or family caregivers access to their records while retaining control over consent and privacy.

Medbankr Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Williams Popoola, said the platform was intended to support rather than replace medical professionals.

“We’re not building an AI that replaces doctors,” Popoola said, adding that the company was developing infrastructure to organise patients’ health information and help make medical consultations more informed.

He described Medbankr as a “memory, continuity, and navigation system” for the Nigerian healthcare sector.

The company said the platform was designed to complement existing healthcare infrastructure and operate alongside licensed healthcare providers and regulated healthcare partners.

Medbankr noted that Nigeria has approximately 67,000 doctors serving a population of more than 230 million people, making continuity of medical information particularly important as patients move between different healthcare facilities.

It said the platform could also be adopted by employers, health insurers, universities, corporate Health Maintenance Organisations and public health programmes as a tool for health continuity and patient engagement.

The Medbankr application is currently available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.