MedAssist

Inspiration

MedAssist is an AI-powered, multilingual symptom checker that understands English and Nigerian Pidgin. Users can input symptoms via text or voice, receive immediate health guidance, and connect with verified telemedicine partners . It’s designed for accessibility—low data, voice-first, and simple enough for anyone to use.

What it does

MedAssist is an AI-powered, multilingual symptom checker that understands English and Nigerian Pidgin. Users can input symptoms via text or voice, receive immediate health guidance, and connect with verified telemedicine partners . It’s designed for accessibility—low data, voice-first, and simple enough for anyone to use.

How we built it

We built MedAssist using a React-based frontend with a Node.js backend and integrated OpenAI’s language model to interpret symptoms and suggest possible conditions. Figma was used for designing user flows with a focus on usability, and Firebase enabled real-time data handling and secure storage.

Challenges we ran into

Network Issues: Unreliable internet during development and testing slowed progress.

Burnout & Fatigue: Managing scope under pressure led to late nights and exhaustion.

Human Resources: A small team meant juggling design, development, and testing.

Project Fatigue: Balancing creative energy with deadlines required discipline and communication.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built a fully functional multilingual symptom checker MVP.

Designed a clean, mobile-first UI that’s both intuitive and culturally relevant.

Created a working referral flow from symptom detection to doctor connection.

Prioritized inclusivity by enabling support for Nigerian Pidgin.

What we learned

Simplicity wins: users don’t need bells and whistles, they need clarity and care.

Designing for low-literacy users taught us empathy-driven UX.

Collaboration under pressure revealed the power of aligned vision and persistence.

AI can be a tool for social impact when grounded in real community needs.

What's next for MedAssist

Launch real-world pilot programs in rural areas with local health partners.

Add support for more languages (Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba).

Integrate offline-first capabilities and USSD/SMS fallback.

Partner with public health bodies and NGOs to drive scale and impact.

Built With

• figma
• node.js