A recent News24 feature looks at the experience that helped inspire Vula Medical, its development and Dr William Mapham’s ambition to improve access to specialist advice.

An experience that stayed with him

News24 recounts an experience Dr Mapham had as a junior doctor in 2004. Unable to determine a patient’s serious eye condition, he wrote a referral letter to Mthatha Hospital, the nearest specialist facility, about two to three hours away.

Seven years later, while volunteering as a specialist, Dr Mapham saw the patient again. The patient had kept the referral letter but had never reached Mthatha. By then, he had lost sight in that eye.

Dr Mapham realised that he had had the medication the patient needed during their first consultation. The experience showed him how access to specialist knowledge could have changed the patient’s life.

From eye care to a wider referral network

The article traces the idea for Vula to Dr Mapham’s time at Vula Amehlo Eye Clinic in Swaziland in 2010. After three years of pitching, he secured funding.

Initially designed for ophthalmology referrals, Vula expanded to include other specialties, such as cardiology and orthopaedics. By 2014, the platform was helping to address referral challenges in South Africa’s public healthcare system. Its use subsequently extended across public and private healthcare settings.

Vula enables healthcare professionals to submit referrals and communicate across different levels of care, connecting referring professionals with receiving teams.

Experiences from healthcare professionals

The News24 feature includes feedback published on Vula’s website, illustrating how professionals use the platform in different settings.

Dr Naadhirah Adams, from the Western Cape, said: “Before Vula, it would take me between 30 minutes to an hour to refer patients. Since Vula, it takes me five minutes to send my referral directly to the person on call, which I can do in between seeing patients.”

Abigail Matlola, a nurse from Gauteng, said: “I find it very convenient and interesting to use, since we don’t have a doctor on a daily basis. As an independent nurse working at the clinic, it’s easy to refer or communicate with the doctor at the hospital, and the response is always prompt.

Dr Helga Nauhaus from the Eastern Cape said: “Communication has improved vastly because we no longer have to rely on a switchboard that doesn’t know who’s on call.

Building and sustaining Vula

The article also covers the challenges of developing the platform. Dr Mapham describes fundraising as an ongoing challenge and explains that he stopped practising as an ophthalmologist in 2017 to focus on finding funding for Vula.

In December 2025, Vula received the Overall App of the Year and Best Health Solution awards at the FNB App of the Year Awards. Dr Mapham describes the recognition as encouragement for the team to continue supporting frontline health workers.

Connecting more healthcare professionals

Looking ahead, the feature outlines Dr Mapham’s priorities: improving the platform, connecting healthcare professionals and strengthening coverage.

Alongside its use in South Africa, the article identifies Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini and Botswana as countries where Vula is also used.

The ambition remains access to specialist advice through the healthcare professional caring for the patient, wherever they are.

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This overview draws on reporting by Kuhle Tshabalala for News24.
Read the original News24 feature: “The doctor who turned a painful lesson into an award-winning medical app”.