Once a week, Racelie Jia goes to a one-room flat in Jalan Kukoh, a neighbourhood located in central Singapore, to take care of 32-year-old Sunny Teo while his mother goes for dialysis.
Sunny has been intellectually disabled because of a prolonged fever 22 years ago. He also suffers from visual, hearing, and speech impairments and has difficulty walking. Between 7 am and 1 pm, Racelie takes care of him and assists him when he needs the toilet.
Racelie, who is in her 30s, is a nurse with eBeeCare, a local startup that links freelance nurses and caregivers with patients in need of homecare services, including elderly care and physiotherapy.
By March next year, at least 50 qualified caregivers like Racelie will provide similar services in Pune, a city in India, as eBeeCare expands into Asian markets.
According to John Chen, co-founder and CEO of eBeeCare, the startup aims to have around 1,000 freelance caregivers in India and at least 50 full-time employees to meet additional demands.
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Big market in India
John sees a big market for homecare services in the country and is also looking at collaborating with hospitals to manage their nurse platforms so they can better utilize resources.
According to India Brand Equity Foundation, the healthcare market in India was worth $100 billion in 2015. This is expected to reach $280 billion by 2020.
About the company
Besides an undisclosed amount from Govin Capital, the startup has received $35,000 grants from SPRING Singapore and the Ministry of Social and Family Development.