Osmo
Prize(s):
Honorable Mention 2026 Multimedia Design / Mobile & Web Application Design
School / University Name:Africa Design School
Lead Designer(s) Name(s):Léila Sonia Boukari
Professor Name(s):Yassin Djibril
Photo Credit:Léila Boukari
Project Location:Cotonou
Design Status:Prototype
Website: View
Project Description:
Osmo is a health coach assistant designed to reduce unsafe self-medication among young adults aged 18 to 35. Unlike symptom-checkers or diagnostic tools, Osmo does not analyse symptoms, nor does it recommend treatments. Instead, it acts as an educational and behavioural coach: it answers health-related questions, raises awareness about the risks of self-medication, sends personalised reminders for appointments and medication, and guides users toward qualified health professionals. The solution is accessible via familiar channels such as Messenger, with features including a “Pass Santé” offering a 10% reduction on consultations, a map of partner health institutions (doctors, hospitals, pharmacies), and an emergency button for automatic contact. Osmo replaces unreliable advice from friends or internet searches with a structured, progressive pathway toward professional care.
Osmo is a health coach assistant designed to reduce unsafe self-medication among young adults aged 18 to 35. Unlike symptom-checkers or diagnostic tools, Osmo does not analyse symptoms, nor does it recommend treatments. Instead, it acts as an educational and behavioural coach: it answers health-related questions, raises awareness about the risks of self-medication, sends personalised reminders for appointments and medication, and guides users toward qualified health professionals. The solution is accessible via familiar channels such as Messenger, with features including a “Pass Santé” offering a 10% reduction on consultations, a map of partner health institutions (doctors, hospitals, pharmacies), and an emergency button for automatic contact. Osmo replaces unreliable advice from friends or internet searches with a structured, progressive pathway toward professional care.
Project Innovation / Specification:
Osmo’s main innovation is its non-diagnostic positioning in a market flooded with symptom-checkers. While most competitors provide probabilistic diagnoses, Osmo deliberately avoids any form of medical analysis to prevent users from substituting its answers for a doctor’s opinion. It operates as a behavioural coach focusing on health education, risk communication, and appointment adherence. Key specifications include: multichannel access (Facebook Messenger, SMS, notifications), integration of a “Pass Santé” for consultation discounts, an interactive map of partner health facilities, medication and vaccination reminders, and an emergency button. The business model combines freemium access, commission on bookings, institutional partnerships, and targeted wellness advertising. This design responds directly to field observations where 41% of surveyed people avoid consultations due to cost, and 29% prefer asking acquaintances.
Osmo’s main innovation is its non-diagnostic positioning in a market flooded with symptom-checkers. While most competitors provide probabilistic diagnoses, Osmo deliberately avoids any form of medical analysis to prevent users from substituting its answers for a doctor’s opinion. It operates as a behavioural coach focusing on health education, risk communication, and appointment adherence. Key specifications include: multichannel access (Facebook Messenger, SMS, notifications), integration of a “Pass Santé” for consultation discounts, an interactive map of partner health facilities, medication and vaccination reminders, and an emergency button. The business model combines freemium access, commission on bookings, institutional partnerships, and targeted wellness advertising. This design responds directly to field observations where 41% of surveyed people avoid consultations due to cost, and 29% prefer asking acquaintances.
Project Sustainability Approach:
Osmo promotes sustainable health practices by reducing irrational medication use, which directly lowers antibiotic resistance and avoids costly complications from worsening conditions. By encouraging timely medical consultations, it decreases the economic burden on patients who otherwise pay more for severe treatments. The digital-first approach limits material resources and travel, lowering the carbon footprint associated with hospital visits. Partnerships with public health institutions and NGOs ensure alignment with national health strategies. The system also supports local healthcare professionals by preparing patients before consultations, improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary visits. Reminder features help maintain treatment adherence for chronic diseases, contributing to long-term patient stability. Osmo’s educational role fosters a culture of responsible self-care, reducing waste from unused or incorrectly taken medications.
Osmo promotes sustainable health practices by reducing irrational medication use, which directly lowers antibiotic resistance and avoids costly complications from worsening conditions. By encouraging timely medical consultations, it decreases the economic burden on patients who otherwise pay more for severe treatments. The digital-first approach limits material resources and travel, lowering the carbon footprint associated with hospital visits. Partnerships with public health institutions and NGOs ensure alignment with national health strategies. The system also supports local healthcare professionals by preparing patients before consultations, improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary visits. Reminder features help maintain treatment adherence for chronic diseases, contributing to long-term patient stability. Osmo’s educational role fosters a culture of responsible self-care, reducing waste from unused or incorrectly taken medications.
Local and Regional Impacts of the Project:
Locally in Benin, Osmo addresses massive self-medication driven by high consultation costs and reliance on informal advice. It reduces antibiotic resistance, prevents adverse drug interactions, and lowers hospital overcrowding by encouraging earlier, cheaper consultations. Regionally, the model can be replicated in West African countries facing similar barriers: limited access to care, weak health information systems, and growing e-health adoption. Osmo creates a bridge between digital innovation and public health, supporting national regulators and health agencies in their awareness campaigns while empowering young people to make safer health decisions.
Locally in Benin, Osmo addresses massive self-medication driven by high consultation costs and reliance on informal advice. It reduces antibiotic resistance, prevents adverse drug interactions, and lowers hospital overcrowding by encouraging earlier, cheaper consultations. Regionally, the model can be replicated in West African countries facing similar barriers: limited access to care, weak health information systems, and growing e-health adoption. Osmo creates a bridge between digital innovation and public health, supporting national regulators and health agencies in their awareness campaigns while empowering young people to make safer health decisions.
