Teddy Nalwanji: Revolutionizing Healthcare For Women & Girls In Uganda Through Digital Innovation

In a country where maternal health challenges continue to exist and adolescent pregnancies remain a critical concern, advanced healthcare solutions are no longer an option, they’re high-priority. A medical doctor and Bulamu Bridge AI, Co-Founder, Teddy Nalwanji stands at the convergence of medicine and community service, as an influential figure who’s reshaping access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for underserved women and girls in Uganda.

Teddy’s childhood was engraved with faith as well as academical aspiration. From a small-town student to a medical innovator, her journey is one of quiet strength of character. Her zeal for healthcare intensified during her internship at Nakaseke General Hospital.

Today, she leads several initiatives through Bulamu Bridge AI that includes My FemiHub app, a mobile app and WhatsApp chatbot that offers reproductive health information in local languages with a reach of over 200,000 women and 40,000 teenagers across five Ugandan districts, including access to the most underprivileged population.

As team lead, she supervises operations and medical strategy while navigating challenges of funding, digital literacy in addition to community trust. Her efforts have earned global recognition that includes the Open Tech for Impact Award and a spot in the USAID-funded Community Engagement Exchange Program.

In conversation with GWL, Teddy shares how an unwavering commitment to impact continues to drive her mission to ensure no woman is left behind in the journey toward equitable healthcare.

Walk us through your educational journey and key influences in early life.

I joined Makerere University in 2015 to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, graduating in 2021.

The biggest influences in my life were the hard work of my parents and my faith in Jesus Christ. Those two forces have always driven me.

Because I studied at one of the country’s best schools, I was surrounded by high expectations. Naturally, I ended up in the class preparing for medicine. My father, despite his modest income, committed to paying for my medical education because he believed in my potential.

As we create solutions, we must involve our users from the start, building with them, not for them, to ensure our work truly reflects their realities and challenges, even if it feels uncomfortable at first

Tell us about your journey as a medical doctor and key turning points.

Early on, I was drawn to paediatrics and childcare, which is caring for babies and children under 18. It brought me immense joy to see a child who came into the hospital sick, walk out healthy and happy.

A major turning point in my journey came in 2021 during my internship at Nakaseke General Hospital amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Before practicing as a general doctor, I was placed in the OBGYN department.

One afternoon, a 12-year-old orphan girl arrived, heavily pregnant and referred from another facility. She had never received antenatal care and had no understanding of pregnancy monitoring. Further examination revealed her baby had died weeks earlier. Tragically, we lost her too. This tragic incident acted as a catalyst in my journey.

What inspired you to co-found Bulamu Bridge AI? What’s the underlying vision behind the venture?

During the pandemic, over 250 girls under the age of 15 were getting pregnant each month in Uganda. Many couldn’t access care due to fear, lockdown restrictions, or lack of resources. Realizing the limitations of physical outreach, my team and I co-founded Bulamu Bridge AI Technologies, creating digital tools to extend our reach.

One of our key initiatives is the My FemiHub app, a period tracker offering verified sexual and reproductive health information and services. We’re currently piloting it through the End Teenage Pregnancy Program, in partnership with Outbox Uganda and the United Nations Population Fund.

What are your key responsibilities as Bulamu Bridge AI’s Co-Founder?

I currently serve as the team lead and co-founder of our enterprise, where I also head the medical department. I’m responsible for overseeing medical operations, coordinating with other hospitals for collaboration, and representing the team at networking and pitching events.

We’re focused on providing medical services, especially to adolescents and pregnant women. However, many women don’t have the phone storage or data to download and maintain an app. To address this, we’ve developed a WhatsApp chatbot.

What challenges arose in expanding Bulamu Bridge AI? How did you overcome them?

Convincing communities with limited exposure to technology to adopt our services has been challenging. Our solution has been to engage local leaders first, who then introduce us and explain our work to the community. Another issue is the cost of healthcare services.

As a young organization, building trust with established healthcare facilities has been difficult. To gain credibility, we’ve participated in grant programs and innovation competitions. This has connected us with organizations like the United Nations Population Fund and Outbox Uganda.

What are your top milestones as a leader?

We’ve established our own offices and currently employ over 14 young people. We operate in five districts in Uganda, namely Kampala, Gulu, Wakiso, Mukono, and Luweero. To date, we’ve reached over 40,000 teenagers with information on sexual and reproductive health and have partnered with more than 20 hospitals. Since beginning our work in 2021, we’ve impacted over 200,000 women.

In 2023, we were recognised as a leading start up in the End Teenage Pregnancy HackLab, by the United Nations Population Fund in Uganda.

I’m also proud to be the first female Ugandan participant in the Community Engagement Exchange Program, a year-long leadership initiative funded by USAID.

How is Uganda’s business landscape evolving, and what role do women play in its growth?

Today in Uganda, we have one of the highest rates of women-owned businesses, about 40 percent of all businesses in the country are owned by women. Many businesses in the healthcare sector are also led by women and are performing exceptionally well.

Our State Minister of Finance for Investment and Privatization, Hon. Evelyn Anite, is a woman. This is significant because she is in a position to address the challenges faced by women operating in Uganda's economy.

The government is working on initiatives like the Startup Act, which I believe will contribute significantly to the growth of startups in Uganda. The future looks promising. We’ve seen others succeed, and that gives us the confidence that we can, too.

Teddy Nalwanji, Co-Founder, Bulamu Bridge AI

Teddy Nalwanji is a medical doctor and an entrepreneur by profession. Her entrepreneurship journey begun when she co-founded Bulamu Bridge AI Technologies which is a Uganda-based digital health care company. Her work has been recognized by the Tony Elumelu Foundation, African Development Bank, and The Social Innovation Warehouse as well.