Vira Health has partnered with Discovery Health to bring its menopause support app Stella to South Africa for the first time, giving approximately 800,000 eligible female members of Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) free access to the platform. It marks Stella’s first market outside the UK and US.
Female DHMS members aged 35 to 70 now get complimentary access to Stella’s full premium subscription for a year, including symptom tracking, personalised behavioural and lifestyle plans, one-on-one coaching, and virtual consultations with menopause-trained GPs. Stella reports that 75% of its roughly 15,000 users to date have seen symptom improvement.
“Until now the Stella app has only been available in the United Kingdom and United States,” said Vira Health co-founder and CEO Andrea Berchowitz. “We are very proud to partner with Discovery Health to offer Stella to Discovery Health Medical Scheme members in South Africa.”
Discovery Health is the largest open medical scheme in South Africa. The partnership is notable for its scale – 73% of DHMS’s female member base falls within the eligible age range – and for the integration model, with Stella accessible directly through the Discovery Health app rather than requiring a separate signup flow.
“For many women, the menopause-linked years can mean a cluster of confusing symptoms that may or may not be adequately treated, leading to diminished quality of life and long-term health risks,” said Dr. Noluthando Nematswerani, Chief Clinical Officer at Discovery Health.
