Digital Health Africa

One major lessons I picked from my class yesterday at Digital Health Africa is the active involvement of a community in every Initiative and innovative solutions we are Designing for the community which calls for community-based solutions. One of the many reasons why most innovative solutions failed over the years in Nigeria is lack of the community involvement in the process. I mean, how do policy makers design policies and initiatives without first consulting the people that would be impacted more by these things? It's just like Designing a system without training and awareness. Such Initiative is bound to fail. That's the level we are currently For instance, yesterday while walking down the Street  I met a woman who has been stressed out obviously just to update her NIN for bank transactions. She has no idea how to fix it. She only went to the bank to collect some funds probably for business or feeding and she was told that she needed to update her NIN details. No information on how to do it or whatsoever. I could not help much because the truth is no one knows how to actually resolve things like these in our society. So, what is the point? Stephen Olaide Aremu recommended a course on Health systems strengthening and I started taking the course this morning. One statement that struck me was "the poor communities have the problems but the solutions are in the cities." It's daunting and exhausting to imagine the impacts of these initiatives and policies on the poor masses especially on Public health in a community where out-of-pocket seems to be taking over 70% of our income. I know probably there's nothing to do but I am just pointing out the obvious. We will thrive. #Publichealth #Epidemiologist

📢Ghanaian e-health startup BIMA Ghana has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from AAIC Investment to accelerate its expansion. “BIMA offers affordable health insurance products and digital health services tailored for the low income and underserved populations in emerging markets. The first licensed telemedicine provider in Ghana, it has since expanded its operations into Tanzania, as well as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, serving more than six million active users. It has now secured an undisclosed amount of funding from AAIC, a health-focused VC fund which says its “sweet spot” is the US$1 million mark, having achieved profitability earlier this year. The funding will accelerate BIMA’s growth in existing markets and support the company’s expansion in Africa by leveraging AAIC’s network and expertise. “ Source https://lnkd.in/dGhrma-v

📢Mozambique Advances Digital Health Infrastructure to Strengthen Malaria Control and National Health Strategy "In an exclusive insight shared by Dr. Baltazar Candrinho , Director of Mozambique’s National Malaria Control Program, Mozambique is taking significant strides in the realm of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), particularly within the health sector. As Dr. Candrinho outlines, Mozambique is actively digitizing health information systems to streamline both routine operations and the execution of large-scale health campaigns. Mozambique’s efforts are not confined to individual disease campaigns but are part of a larger, cross-sectoral push towards digitalization. The Ministry of Health is working in tandem with other ministries, including Communication, Technology, Education, and Agriculture, to establish a comprehensive digital strategy for the entire health sector. The strategy aims to integrate digital platforms across various programs, ensuring interoperability and efficiency in Mozambique’s healthcare system." Source https://lnkd.in/dyV4x7-h

📢Upcoming Digital Health Conferences in Africa These conferences present great opportunities to stay updated on the latest digital health trends, form strategic partnerships, and share ideas on sustainable healthcare solutions for Africa. If you're involved in the digital health space, these events are definitely worth attending! Here are some noteworthy events to watch out for: 1. Lake Region Digital Health Conference Location : Kisumu , Kenya Date : Oct 16th - 17th 2024 Link : https://lrdhc.or.ke/ 2. The Healthtech Policy summit 2024 : Location : Norrsken House, Kigali, Rwanda Date : Oct 28th - 29th 2024 link : https://lnkd.in/dkA54Xky Organizer : HealthTech Hub Africa 3. Africa HealthTech Summit - AHTS Location : Kigali , Rwanda Date : Oct 29th - 31st 2024 Link : https://lnkd.in/dH45_q94 Organizer : Africa CDC and Partners 4. The Open Digital Health Summit Location : Nairobi, Kenya Date : Dec 1st - Dec 3rd Link : https://fullstac.health/ 5. Global Digital Health Forum 2024 Location : Nairobi , Kenya Date : Dec 4th - Dec 6th Link : https://www.gdhf.digital/ What other event should we add to our list? Share with your network!

📢Sochitel , Mobihealth International to Enhance Healthcare Access in Nigeria Through Digital Solutions - “Sochitel and Mobihealth International have partnered to enhance healthcare access in underserved markets and communities in Nigeria and Africa through cross-border payment solutions for affordable telehealth services. According to the announcement, which was made on Thursday in Lagos, the partnership will leverage Sochitel’s digital prepaid infrastructure and 300 million customer base integrated with 70 banks across 30 countries to facilitate transactions for Mobihealth’s telemedicine services. They added that the solution will enable patients and their families to easily access quality healthcare, especially in localities and regions where traditional financial systems are lacking. The partners announced that the partnership will expand access to healthcare through Mobihealth’s telemedicine platform accessible through Sochitel’s cross-border, digital prepaid user-friendly payment system. Furthermore, the partners stated that the partnership will promote financial inclusion by offering prepaid solutions to unbanked and underbanked populations, thereby supporting local economies and promoting healthier communities.” Source https://lnkd.in/dUC4euFV

Today's session was facilitated by Chikonzero Sikanyika and it was such an enlightening session. Climate change has detrimental effects on global and Public health and it's only through collaborative efforts we can combat the health challenges that come with it. The flood that keeps displacing people from their homes. The hike in prices of food that's forcing people into malnutrition. The increase in prices of cooking gas that's forcing people to explore other unethical alternatives. From my implementation research classes today, I realized that our problem has never been policies but implementation strategies. As our tutor rightly said, "taking Malawi as am example, they are good with words and papers but poor with implementation." So it is in Nigeria. There is a huge gap between the policies and the implementations. The question is what is the way forward? How do we achieve sustainability? Thank you Digital Health Africa #Publichealth #Climatechange #Climateandhealth

Lessons from Climate change and Health Innovation Bootcamp for African Youth #CHIBAY2024 - Week 2 Vulnerable communities are increasingly facing health risks as climate change progresses rapidly. This not only threatens lives but is likely to widen existing socio-economic disparities that have taken years to narrow. 💡So, what must we do now? 1. Build Climate Adaptation Strategies: We need to lay resilient foundations through rapid and inclusive development, both locally and internationally. 2. Help Communities Recover Faster and Better: While we can’t eliminate all risks, we can prepare people to cope and recover more quickly from climate impacts. 3. Government Action and Preparedness: It’s essential to manage these impacts at a macro level, with governments taking the lead on preparedness and response. 4. Prioritize, Collaborate, and Monitor Progress: Action needs to be tailored to the most urgent needs, implemented across sectors, and closely monitored through intersectoral collaboration. I encourage everyone to read this USAID report here to better understand the challenges faced in Tanzania and build resilience. (https://lnkd.in/eE-hm3eG) 💡Key Message: It’s time to stop planning and start acting. We need to spread awareness, improve preparedness; both socially and infrastructurally and implement local early warning systems that will help communities bounce back. #climatechange #health #onehealth #innovation #Tanzania #vulnerablepopulations

📢5 Things to know about Marburg Virus In late September 2024, reports of a deadly outbreak of Marburg virus began to emerge from Rwanda—the second outbreak of the disease to hit the African continent in as many years and the first in Rwanda. 🚨 Rwandan health authorities are intensifying outbreak control efforts following the detection of Marburg virus disease. Cases of the virus have been reported in seven of the country’s 30 districts. Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to 88%. It is in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Learn more from our video 👇 Share for more awareness Stay safe !! #marbugvirus #healthawareness

📢Women’s health tech ‘less likely’ to get funding if woman is on founding team “Research also shows pitches from female founders less likely to succeed if using phrases such as ‘women’s rights’. Healthcare technology designed to target a wide range of women’s issues is less likely to get funding if there is a woman on the founding team, according to research. Female founders of femtech products – short for female technology – are also less likely to secure funding if they use “advocacy” words in their funding applications, including “women’s rights”, “take control” or “freedom”, the analysis showed. Male femtech founders, however, can benefit from increased investment if they use the same words, found Ludovico Castiglia a researcher working in partnership with FemHealth Insights, a consultancy firm specialising in women’s health and femtech.” Source https://lnkd.in/eau8qsau

💡The future of healthcare isn’t just an idea—it’s a digital revolution in the making! Now more than ever, digital health innovations—like telemedicine, AI diagnostics, and mobile health apps—are poised to enhance healthcare across Africa and the globe. But no single organization can do it alone! We need governments, private sector partners, and donors to unite, invest strategically, and ensure these innovations reach the people who need them most. Together, we can close healthcare gaps, strengthen systems, and save lives with technology. #HealthInnovation #GlobalHealth #DigitalHealthAfrica