By Michael Gwarisa
A group of young Zimbabwean innovators is gearing up to transform how people manage chronic illnesses, not in hospitals, but right from their mobile phones. At the heart of this bold digital leap is Chirembawangu, a locally built mobile application and AI-powered platform designed to help patients with diabetes, hypertension, and asthma monitor, manage, and thrive despite their diagnoses.
The app is the brainchild of Dr. Webster Alubi, a medical intern at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, and his team at Apexphere Holdings, a budding software company on a mission to create homegrown tech solutions tailored to Zimbabwean realities.
We wanted to bridge the gap between medical care and real, everyday experiences of patients here in Zimbabwe,” said Dr. Alubi in an exclusive interview with HealthTimes.
“Most apps on the market are built with Western users in mind. They don’t speak to our diets, our lifestyles, or the unique health challenges faced by our communities.”
The journey started in 2022 with a Facebook page called Chirembawangu, which shared digestible, educational content for people living with chronic conditions. The platform quickly found an audience, a clear sign of an information gap. Many users were struggling to understand their illnesses or manage their treatment effectively. That’s when the team realized they could go further.
“We thought, why not build a tool that doesn’t just inform, but actually helps people track and manage their health? That’s how the idea of the Chirembawangu app came about,” explained Dr. Alubi.
At its core, Chirembawangu is a digital health assistant tailored specifically for chronic disease management. The app allows patients to record key health indicators like blood sugar levels and blood pressure, depending on their condition. For diabetics, this means logging daily sugar readings, spotting patterns, and getting instant feedback.
It also offers diet suggestions based on Zimbabwean foods, recognizing that weight control is crucial for managing diabetes and hypertension. Whether it’s sadza, madora, or roadside roasted maize, Chirembawangu understands local meals and calculates their caloric values using AI. Users can set weight or blood sugar goals and receive tailored recommendations based on their condition, lifestyle, and dietary habits.
Medication adherence is another critical focus area. The app reminds users when to take their medications, logs progress, and flags when something might be off. Perhaps one of the most transformative features is the ability to share daily health readings with a doctor or nurse.
No more lost notebooks—health histories are safely stored and easily accessible. “This is especially powerful for doctors who want to monitor patients remotely,” said Dr. Alubi.
“They can quickly see if blood sugars are rising or if a patient has stopped tracking. It helps them intervene early before complications arise.”
One of the app’s most innovative features lies in its AI-powered food recognition and calorie analysis, designed with a local context in mind.
“There are many apps out there that can tell you how many calories are in a burger or a latte,” said Dr. Alubi. “But what about mazondo or peanut butter rice? Our AI is trained to understand our food.”
In the near future, users will be able to take a photo of their meal, and the app will estimate its calorie content, helping users make more informed nutritional decisions. This is a first in Zimbabwe’s digital health space and potentially a game-changer.
Beyond physical care, the app is also being designed to address the mental toll of living with chronic illness. Depression, anxiety, and stress are common among patients who feel overwhelmed, isolated, or unsupported.
“Living with a condition like diabetes is not just about pills and numbers. It’s about fear of the future, stigma, and constant adjustment. Chirembawangu will become a safe space where patients not only get support but feel seen,” said Dr. Alubi.
Future plans include integrating telemedicine and live chat features, allowing patients to talk to nutritionists or doctors in real time, and potentially even forming peer support groups within the app.
The team plans to launch the Chirembawangu web app by the end of July 2025, with the full mobile application expected before the end of the year. “We’re starting with a mobile-friendly website first. But by December 31, we want users to be able to download the app on their phones and start using core features, from tracking blood sugar to receiving diet advice,” Dr. Alubi confirmed.
In a country where access to reliable, personalized health information is still limited for many, especially outside urban centers, the Chirembawangu app offers a fresh start, built by Zimbabweans, for Zimbabweans. It’s not just another app. It’s a movement to put health back into the hands of patients. A tool that speaks our language, knows our food, and understands our challenges.
