1. Purpose
This Company Policy sets out the operating rules that govern how Patients and Providers use the Afya1 Digital Health platform ("Platform"), operated by Zorvica Innovations Limited. It works alongside the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and applies to every booking made through the Platform.
2. Provider Verification and Onboarding Standards
No Provider may accept Bookings until they have cleared Afya1's full verification process, which includes:
- Identity verification.
- Licence and qualification verification with the relevant regulatory body (for example, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council for doctors and specialists and the Kenya Nursing Council for nurses and midwives).
- Background screening through Afya1's screening partners.
- A two-tier competency assessment: Tier 1 covers ethics and professional conduct, and Tier 2 is a profession-specific clinical or caregiving assessment.
- Role-specific document checks matched to the provider's category (doctor, nurse, specialist, caregiver, and counsellor).
Providers who do not pass verification are given a reason and one opportunity to reapply or to appeal. Verified Providers who are later found to have misrepresented a qualification or licence are immediately suspended, pending investigation.
3. Provider Code of Conduct
- Attend confirmed bookings punctually and notify Afya1 and the Patient promptly if unable to attend.
- Deliver care within the scope of your licence, training, and the service booked.
- For Hospital Bedside Care and Home Visit shifts, check-in and check-out via GPS through the app for every shift and submit timestamped activity updates covering matters such as meals, medication, comfort, and any concerns raised with the hospital or family.
- Infection control and professional conduct standards appropriate to the care setting should be maintained, and the nurse should know when to escalate a concern to hospital or medical personnel.
- Communicate with Patients and families respectfully and only through platform channels for anything related to the booking.
- Never solicit a patient to transact outside the platform.
- Report any abusive, unsafe, or inappropriate patient behavior to Afya1 without fear of retaliation.
4. Patient Code of Conduct
- Accurate booking, contact, and relevant health information should be provided.
- Treat Providers with respect and provide a safe environment for home visits and ongoing home care bookings.
- Pay for Bookings only through the platform's payment methods.
- Raise any concerns about a session through the in-app dispute or reporting process within the applicable window, rather than resolving it directly with the provider outside the platform.
- Do not request a provider to act outside their licensed scope of practice.
5. Booking and Scheduling Rules
Bookings are confirmed once a provider accepts and payment is placed in escrow. Hospital Bedside Care may be booked for multiple consecutive shifts, with a minimum booking of 2 hours and a recommended shift length of 4 to 8 hours; a discount applies when booking 3 or more consecutive days. When different providers cover different shifts of the same booking, the outgoing provider's activity log is shared with the incoming provider to ensure continuity of care.
6. Pricing and Fee Policy
Afya1 operates a hybrid pricing model: the Platform sets a price band per Provider role and service type, and each Provider sets their own fee within that band.
| Provider Role | Fee Range | Pricing Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Caregiver / Home Care | KSh 500 – 1,000 | Per day |
| Registered Nurse | KSh 1,000 – 4,000 | Per consultation |
| General Practitioner | KSh 2,000 – 6,000 | Per consultation |
| Specialist / Consultant | KSh 5,000 – 15,000 | Per consultation |
- Standard Platform Fee: 20% of the gross consultation or session fee.
- Top-rated Provider fee: reduced to 10% for Providers maintaining a 4.8+ rating over 50 or more completed sessions.
- Minimum provider payout per withdrawal: KSh 500.
- Payout frequency: processed daily, each evening, for sessions completed that day.
7. Provider Insurance, Liability, and Tax Responsibility
Providers act as independent professionals or independent contractors, not as employees of Afya1, and are responsible for their own insurance and tax affairs.
- Providers must hold professional indemnity or liability insurance appropriate to their role, where required by their regulatory body or by law, and must be able to provide evidence of cover on request during onboarding or a review.
- Providers are solely responsible for registering with, and meeting their obligations to, the Kenya Revenue Authority, including income tax and VAT where applicable, on earnings received through the Platform.
- Afya1 does not withhold tax on behalf of Providers unless required to do so by law, and may request a valid KRA PIN during onboarding.
8. Cancellation Policy
| Timing / Event | Outcome |
|---|---|
| More than 24 hours before the Session | Full refund to the Patient |
| 12 to 24 hours before the Session | 50% refund to Patient, 50% to Provider |
| Less than 12 hours before the Session | No refund — full payment to the Provider |
| Provider cancels | Full refund to the Patient, regardless of timing |
| Provider declines at Booking | Full refund to Patient; Booking re-offered |
9. Escrow and Dispute Handling
Patient payments are held in escrow from the time of Booking. Once a Session is marked complete, a 24-hour dispute window opens. If no dispute is raised, funds release automatically to the Provider, net of the Platform Fee. Disputes raised within the window are reviewed by Afya1's admin team based on available evidence, including session logs, GPS check-in records, and activity logs, and may result in a full refund to the Patient where upheld.
10. Ratings, Reviews, and Provider Standing
| Rating Band | Effect |
|---|---|
| 4.8 or above (50+ sessions) | Featured in top search results; eligible for reduced 10% Platform Fee |
| 4.0 to 4.7 | Standard search placement; no action required |
| 3.5 to 3.9 | Admin sends a performance notification; Provider encouraged to review feedback |
| Below 3.5 | Automatic admin review; Provider may be temporarily suspended pending investigation |
| Three consecutive 1-star reviews | Immediate temporary suspension and mandatory admin review |
Reviews must reflect a genuine session. A Provider may flag a review believed to be unfair, fabricated, or in violation of platform policy; flagged reviews are reviewed by an administrator within 24 hours. Afya1 may remove reviews containing defamatory content, identifiable third-party personal information, or content from non-genuine bookings.
11. Trust and Safety
Patient Protections
- Escrow protects patients from paying for care that they did not receive.
- A 24-hour dispute window follows each session.
- A Verified badge is shown only after all verification stages are cleared.
- GPS-verified check-in and check-out were applied to all in-person and bedside care sessions.
- In-app reporting is available for misconduct, inappropriate behavior, and clinical concerns.
Provider Protections
- The escrow guarantees payment for the completed sessions.
- The cancellation policy protects providers from last-minute patient cancellations.
- Providers can report abusive or inappropriate patients without fear of retaliation.
- Dispute decisions are evidence-based and draw on session logs and activity records.
12. Reporting Misconduct and Investigations
Any user can report suspected misconduct, safety concerns, or policy violations through the in-app reporting tool. Afya1's admin team will review reports, which may result in a warning, temporary suspension, permanent removal from the platform, or referral to the relevant regulatory body or law enforcement, depending on the severity.
13. Suspension and Termination of Accounts
Afya1 may suspend or terminate a Patient or Provider account for a breach of this Policy, the Terms and Conditions, safety concerns, repeated low ratings, or misrepresentation of credentials. Where practical, the affected user is notified of the reason and, for providers, given an opportunity to appeal.
14. Amendments to This Policy
Afya1 reviews and may update this Policy as the Platform, regulatory environment or business model evolves. Material changes will be communicated to Patients and Providers through the Platform, with continued use after the effective date constituting acceptance of the updated Policy.
15. Contact
Zorvica Innovations Limited, trading as Afya1 Digital Health, Kisumu, Kenya.
For questions about this Policy, contact support@afya1digital.com