Terms of Service

These terms govern your use of VetConnect Rwanda, operated by Digital Solutions. By creating an account you accept them. If you do not accept them, do not use the platform.

1. What VetConnect Rwanda is

We operate a platform that connects livestock farmers with licensed veterinarians. We are not a veterinary practice, we do not employ the veterinarians listed, and we do not practise veterinary medicine. Any professional relationship is between you and the veterinarian you book.

2. Eligibility and your account

• You must be at least 18 years old and able to enter a binding contract.
• The information you register with must be accurate, and you must keep it current.
• You are responsible for everything done through your account. Keep your password private and tell us at once if you suspect someone else has access.
• You must verify your email address, and verify your phone number before requesting a payout.
• One person, one account. Accounts may not be shared, sold or transferred.

3. Veterinarians and verification

Veterinarians must supply a licence number and upload a credential document, which an administrator reviews before the account can accept work. Verification may be revoked, with a recorded reason, if a licence lapses or is withdrawn.

Verification confirms that the documents we were shown appear valid. It is not a guarantee of clinical competence, and it does not make us responsible for a veterinarian's professional decisions. Veterinarians remain bound by the rules of the Rwandan veterinary profession and must hold current registration to practise.

4. The AI symptom checker

• The symptom checker is a triage aid. It is not a diagnosis and it is not veterinary advice.
• It can be wrong in both directions: it may miss a serious condition, or flag one that is not there.
• Never use it as a reason to delay contacting a veterinarian, and never use it to decide on medication.
• Use is subject to a daily limit per farmer to keep the service available to everyone.
• Do not type personal information into the free-text note, because that text is sent to our model provider as written.

5. Bookings and consultations

Booking a veterinarian is a request, not a guaranteed appointment, and it takes effect only once the veterinarian accepts. Farm visit times are estimates and depend on travel and weather. Where a veterinarian cannot attend, they should decline promptly so you can book someone else. Emergency requests are routed for urgent attention, but we cannot promise a response within any fixed time.

6. Prescriptions

Only a verified veterinarian may issue a prescription, and only they decide what to prescribe. A prescription issued on the platform is valid for 30 days from issue. We are not a pharmacy: we do not dispense, supply or deliver veterinary medicines, and a participating agro-vet pharmacy may decline a prescription at its own discretion. Follow the withdrawal periods your veterinarian specifies before selling milk or meat.

7. Fees

All amounts are in Rwandan francs. Current charges are:

• Farmer subscription: 10,000 per 30-day billing period.
• Cooperative subscription: 100,000 per 30-day billing period.
• Veterinarian registration: 5,000, one time.
• Online consultation: 2,000. Farm visit: 5,000. Emergency callout: 10,000.
• Advertising placement: 10,000 per month per slot.
• Platform commission on veterinary services: 15% of the service fee.

Consultation fees and the commission rate are set by the platform administrator and may change. The amount shown to you when you book or subscribe is the amount you will be charged, and a later change never rewrites a charge you have already agreed. Subscriptions run for a fixed 30-day period and do not renew automatically; they end when the period expires unless you subscribe again.

8. Payment

• Payments are collected by mobile money through our payment provider. You approve each payment on your own handset. We never ask for your PIN.
• A payment stays pending until our provider confirms it. If you do not approve the prompt, the attempt lapses and you may try again after a short wait.
• Do not approve any prompt for an amount that does not match what you were shown.
• Charges are for the service booked. If a service is not delivered, contact us and we will review the transaction.
• Refunds, where due, are settled manually to the mobile money number that paid, and recorded against the transaction. Very small amounts may take longer because of provider limits.

9. Veterinarian earnings and payouts

• Earnings accrue as the platform commission is deducted from each completed, paid service.
• A payout may be requested once your balance reaches the minimum of 50,000 and your phone number is verified.
• Only one payout request may be open at a time. Payouts are sent to your verified mobile money number.
• The amount actually settled may differ slightly from the amount requested because of provider fees, and the settled figure is what is recorded.
• We may withhold a payout while we investigate a dispute, a suspected fraudulent transaction, or a revoked licence.

10. Advertising

Agro-vet pharmacies, feed distributors and animal health brands may purchase placement slots. Advertisers are responsible for the accuracy and legality of their own content, including any claims about veterinary products. A placement is not an endorsement by us, and advertisers get no access to farmer or veterinarian data.

11. Acceptable use

You must not:

• Impersonate anyone, or claim veterinary credentials you do not hold.
• Upload a forged or altered licence or certificate.
• Arrange payment off the platform to avoid commission, after being matched through it.
• Copy, scrape or republish other users' data, including the veterinarian directory.
• Attempt to break, overload or gain unauthorised access to the platform.
• Upload unlawful content, or anything that is not what it claims to be.

12. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or close an account that breaches these terms, that we reasonably believe is being used fraudulently, or whose veterinary licence is no longer valid. You may stop using the platform at any time and ask us to close your account. Some records, in particular clinical and payment records, are retained after closure as described in the Privacy Policy.

13. Availability

We aim to keep the platform running but do not guarantee uninterrupted service. Features depending on third parties, including mobile money, SMS and the AI assistant, can fail independently of us. The platform is currently in a pilot phase and functionality may change.

14. Intellectual property

The platform, its name, logo, design and software belong to us. Content you upload stays yours, and you grant us the licence needed to store it, display it to the people entitled to see it, and operate the service. Educational materials in the library remain the property of their authors.

15. Liability

We are responsible for operating the platform. We are not responsible for the clinical judgement of a veterinarian, the outcome of any treatment, the health or death of an animal, or losses caused by delay in obtaining care. To the fullest extent permitted by Rwandan law, our total liability arising from your use of the platform is limited to the fees you paid us in the three months before the claim arose. Nothing here excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

16. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Rwanda, and the courts of Rwanda have jurisdiction over any dispute. We will always try to resolve a complaint directly first.

17. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms and will revise the date at the top. Where a change materially affects your rights or what you pay, we will notify you by email or SMS before it takes effect. Continued use after that constitutes acceptance.

18. Contact us

For any question about these terms, write to [email protected].